


Code Sekirei: L.L. of the Plan

by SeprithLiCastia



Category: Code Geass, Sekirei (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Crossover, Emperor Lelouch, Eventual Romance, F/M, Geass, Harems, Immortal Lelouch, Immortality, Immortals, Lelouch is L.L., Multi, Post-Zero Requiem, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 15:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 50,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17706920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeprithLiCastia/pseuds/SeprithLiCastia
Summary: Lelouch vi Britannia had done it: the world was ruled by the tyranny of the Demon Emperor. Lelouch was only a few days away from atonement, world peace, and death, but those plans are violently shaken when Hiroto Minaka from MBI comes calling with an offer from destiny in the form a little bird called Sekirei. (Lelouch x Harem)





	1. Turn One: The First Ashikabi

**Author's Note:**

> Attention: Warning: I make no claim to any of the rights and responsibilities for the characters, creations or other such things featured in this story. I humbly recognize and accept that all forms of ownership for this series and its character, places and things belong to their owner(s). I am merely presenting a non-profit form of entertainment based on their original content. I implore any and all readers of this fan made material to purchase the works in which this is based on to not only support the rights owners but to avoid spoilers caused from this work. I thank you.
> 
> \- Author's Notes: This has been something of a passion project idea I never thought I would get the chance to write and, well, it has been going well over on Fanfic.net so at least some people seem to like it. At the request of reader (and because I was planning to do it anyway) I have decided to bring it over here, too. Hopefully you all enjoy!
> 
> About the cross-over itself: this is mostly written on the basis that you understand the Code Geass world pretty well. I am not going to take the time and explain what Britannia or the Black Knights are and just assume you already know. That being said, I am not going to assume you know everything about Serkirei. Not only is it not a popular as Code Geass, it is also more of the focus of the story. Lelouch will be the main character, but the events of Code Geass are all in the past: this story will be set post-Zero Requiem and Lelouch will have a Code, but no Geass.
> 
> Also, yes, this is a harem. Hard to imagine a Sekirei story that is not. Lelouch will be paired with five girls (four from Sekirei, one girl from Code Geass). Savy, tag reading readers can probably already tell who. 
> 
> Looking for plenty of feed-back on this! I have tried romance on a smaller scale, but never a harem and I want to actually make it all a proper relationship, too. So feel free to comment on whatever you like.

**Turn One:** _The First Ashikabi_

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2018**

**Kyoto, Imperial Crown Colony of Japan:**

For the first time in its long history, the entire world had been unified under a single banner. From the shores of California to the Mediterranean Sea, from the wastes of Siberia to the heights of the Himalayas, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and everything in-between, the world was held by a single nation: the Holy Britannian Empire. All that touched the air bowed at its might, bent low on aching knees, but every soul shivered in utter terror at the slightest whisper of the man and emperor who had made it all possible: Lelouch vi Britanna.

"Presenting! His Imperial Majesty!" cried aloud the nervous Master of Ceremonies, his voice quivering at each syllable despite their volume. Kyoto, Japan was not the traditional capital of the Empire, but with the Imperial City of Pendragon destroyed in the Great War and Tokyo all but destroyed in the battles previous, Kyoto was chosen as the temporary place-holder. All to the whims of His Imperial Majesty.

The first sign of his arrival was the chilling echo of foot-steps. They were not loud, for the Holy Britannian Emperor was not a large man, but in the expansive chambers around them there was little sound to compete against. Arrayed along every wall were the many masked figures of the emperor's nameless royal guard, each standing straight and resolute, while their Lord Commander, the so-called Knight of Orange Jeremiah Gottwald, dropped gracefully to one knee.

"The 99th Emperor of the Holy Empire of Britannia," the young Master of Ceremonies continued. He was young, not even aged twenty years, and he was the eighth person to hold such a position for His Imperial Majesty. He dared not ask what happened to the last seven. "Second Supreme Council Chairman of the United Federation of Nations,"—a meaningless title now, there was only Britannia.

Another step.

"Chief Executive Officer of the Black Knights!" Step. "The 53rd President of the Europia United!" _Step_. "The First & Only Ruler of the World!" _**Step**_. "And the sole owner of Earth!" Left unsaid were his many other titles; such as the _Demon Emperor_ and the _Enemy of the World_.

His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia, was a thin man of above average height, a lithe frame, and long arms. His handsome face, wreathed in raven hair and piercing with violet eyes, would have been the talk of legend, compared more easily to ancient myth than modern reality, were it not for the ever present smirk that marred his lips. Every twitch, every muscle, every thought, every action screamed of arrogance and conceit, of superiority, of a man who could conquer the world. A smirk made all the more horrid because it was worn by a man who, in fact, held the world in the palm of his hands.

The emperor's pure white regalia seemed a tangle of serpents, golden snakes drifting about the soft fabric and ensnaring the many eye-like rubies that were already made famous as the "Demon's Eyes," an unfavorable comparison. The sole dictator of the world entered the chamber with the casual indifference one might show a common house plant, seated himself on his ornate throne like one might expect a god to sit his, and surveyed the room about him with barely contained antipathy. His cold amethyst eyes traced every figure in the room, lingering on each, and left them to kneel and prostrate before him far longer than was normally expected. Not one rose without his consent.

"Rise," spoke the Demon Emperor, his voice soft yet deadly. "Face me." The Lord Commander Gottwald rose easily, his face the very picture of a contented dog at his master's side, and the assembly of three kneeling behind him followed soon after. Rather than address either, however, the Emperor of the World drifted his eyes to his Master of Ceremonies. "You were mistaken," he said at length.

"Y-your Majesty," choked the young man, his hands and voice shaking at the address. There was a feeling in his chest now, one suspiciously like fear. "H-how have I—"

"I am not the president of the Europia United," interrupted the demon. "In fact, as of one hour ago, the Europia United no longer exists. They have signed the charter of the United Federation of Nations." They were forced to, he means. Not that it makes any difference anymore.

"C-congratulations, Your Majesty! The world is absolutely united! All Hail Lelou-"

"Yes, yes, all hail me," drawled the emperor mockingly. "But as my Master of Ceremonies you are expected to present all my relevant titles and honors."

It was terror that griped his heart, he knew that now. "I-I had no way of knowing, Your Majesty," he pleaded, his forehead reaching the floor before the words reached his lips. "I beg your pardon."

"I have no use for fools," dismissed the Demon Emperor. "Guards! Arrest this imbecile and have him imprisoned. He will be executed in one weeks' time." The same day, the world knew, that all the criminals who had opposed him in the last war, people like Kaname Ohgi, the Tianzi of the former Chinese Federation, and his own sister, Nunnally, were scheduled to be executed. His order given, the ruler of the world did not even watch as his royal guard seized the former Master of Ceremonies by his arms and dragged him away. There would be a newly appointed ninth Master of Ceremonies within the hour.

"Jeremiah," began the emperor, addressing his Lord Commander. "Why are these people here?"

"Your Majesty, they have sought an audience with you. They are the representatives of MBI."

Mid Bio Informatics was a privately owned think tank and medical technologies company founded first under Viceroy Clovis, briefly disbanding under Duke Calares, and finally thriving under Viceroy Nunnally. Their president was a former Eleven, now Japanese, but Emperor Lelouch cared nothing for race or creed. All were just slaves to him. "Proceed."

"Salutations, Your Majesty," began the dark haired man dressed in a white suit, his voice loud and his tone demanding. "I am Hiroto Minaka, the CEO of MBI, and I have come with an offer you will most surely not want to ignore." He drew one hand to his breast, over his heart, and extended the other towards the seated emperor. "An offer, I dare say, from the gods themselves!"

Lelouch vi Britannia had worn many masks in his life. Each multifaceted, each with their own thoughts and beliefs, and each made for a specific purpose. Of those masks, he knew what each and every one would say to an offer like this. The Masked Hero, Zero, would speak of calculated miracles and self-determination; the student, Lelouch Lamperouge, would feign contentment and evade. The Demon Emperor would—"What more could god give me that I couldn't simply take for myself?" Bold words, he knew, for the Emperor of the _Holy_ Britannian Empire to claim his reach extended beyond god. Bold, but not the first.

Far from being quelled, Minaka seemed almost elated at the young emperor's answer. "Only the very power to shape not only this world, but the very fabric of reality itself!" he cried, his hands waving wildly about him as he spoke. The slender woman beside him, with prematurely greying hair and narrow eyes, fixed Minaka with a look that reminded the emperor greatly of his one-time accomplices, Lloyd Asplund and Cecile Croomy. "I have found a boon, dropped from heaven, and destined to change our very world! The End of the Century—No! The end of the millennia, if not the very apex of humanity!"

"Your Majesty, this fool is raving mad!" balked Jeremiah Gottwald, withdrawing a blade from his sleeves.

"And in what you call madness, I have gained true sight!" shouted Minaka, ignoring the feverish whispers of his female counter-part. "I have seen it! They very edge of our known reality!"

 _Geass_ , the word came to the young emperor; the Collective Unconscious; _god_ , came another. "Do you bring proof of your claims?"

Minaka's assistant and Jeremiah spared the two equal glances of bewilderment, but Minaka declared boldly, "I have more than that! I have brought with me not only proof, but an apple from Eden's tree!" Thus spoken, the CEO of MBI gestured dramatically to the small figure at his side. It looked, simply enough, as a child aged no more than ten; matted grey or dark hair, a small figure, and covered by what seemed little more than a surgical smock.

This was not, since he first took the throne of the world, the first time some-one had offered him a child. The reasons were left unspoken, the children unspecified, but the implication clear. These people had also been sentenced to execution, but their death would not come in a week. They were delivered on the spot. But the figure of this child, head bowed low before him now, was not of the frightened and trembling visage those had been. The child was trembling, yes, but not out of fear.

"I have had people killed for offering more," he challenged, gesturing to the child; his tone even. Minaka looked amused, his assistant approaching fear, and the girl-

" _Enough of this!_ " suddenly screamed the child, evidently a girl. "He's _mine_!" Then she moved, her small form crouching low before dashing forward in a rush of movement capable of out-pacing even the likes of Suzaku Kururugi. Her hands were shrouded beneath her gown, her intent unclear, but her destination plain as she made her way for the seated emperor. This was not, Lelouch reflected, his first would-be assassin; not even his first in this room, but it would only be his second child. More than a few of those attempts had ended at the end of Jeremiah's blade.

The Knight of Orange wasted no time in moving to protect his liege, the cybernetically enhanced human able to cross distances faster than possibly any other in the world. His arm mounted blade already extended, the Lord Commander swung low at the child, intending to kill, only to be pushed aside by a rapid jab of the child's fist. Too fast for Lelouch to see, but then Jeremiah felt himself pushed aside in her mad rush to reach the ruler of the world.

Seeing his royal guard knocked aside, the Demon Emperor wasted no time revealing his true eyes to the whole world; two shards of blazing red that burned out at the world, but with each hurried step of the child he felt that burning sensation push inwards, into his mind. "D-di—" he tried to say, his voice oddly weak and his breath faint. This, it seemed, was enough for the child to reach him, jumping up at him.

He felt small hands wrap around the folds of his royal regalia, felt a rough foot balance itself on his waist, but they were a distant sensation now. His eyes burning, his heart clenching, and his mind a scream with a thousand thoughts ranging from the Zero Requiem to now. But rather than fight, than run, than using his Power of the King to command, he found himself stilled by the swirling gray eyes that met his own shining red in wonder and building joy.

Then he felt small lips pressed against his own, a searing pain in his eyes and soul, before his vision was carried away on wings of darkness.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Shinto Teito (Former Tokyo Settlement), United States of Japan:**

There was something oddly relaxing about train stations. Whether it was the constant feeling of motion, the hypnotic rhythm of the tracks, or even just the constant buzz of chatter from its commuters, Renji Takayama could not say. Seated as he was on a bench over-looking the procession, he smiled faintly at the rush of people disembarking from the last arrival—" _North bound Kyoto Line has arrived, please stay clear of the tracks_ , _"_ a kindly woman's voice announced as the train doors slide upon.

This, more than anything, was why Renji loved coming here; the broad smiles of fresh faced youths arriving to take their college exams, lovers greeting each other just inside after a long absence, and the general happiness that came from seeing happy people lead their happy lives. Old ladies bending down to hug their grand-children, nervous teens clutching textbooks, and straight backed businessmen walking with a stride in their steps. It was a sight Renji never would have imagined in his own youth, and to see it now…

That was when he saw him; a raven haired teen. Britannian, by the look of him, but that was not really that strange anymore, with a handsome face, pale skin, and firm jaw. He would have been remarkable only for charming looks, but it was his eyes that caught Renji; they were an odd shade of blue, sort of catching, but it was the set of them. Stern, focused, and lackluster, they were the eyes of a warrior, but no-one this kid's age could have seen the kind of fighting you would need for those kinds of eyes.

He wore a finely pressed, but rather plain looking black suit with a high collar and was carrying a long tube of some kind, balanced in one hand and leaning against his shoulder. The kid's eyes traced the crowd around him in a rapid glance as his long legs carried him across the station platform in easy strides. Renji did not know why, he really was not the type to talk to strangers and only really liked people-watching, but he found himself compelled to speak:

"You look lost," he said as the teen was about to pass him. "Need some directions?" The kid stopped politely at being addressed, his pale gaze shifting to meet that of Renji's own dull browns. He could tell, both from the confidence of his steps and the look in his eyes, this kid needed no such help. He looked like a man on a mission and that only further piqued Renji's interest in the boy.

Rather than dismiss him out-of-hand, the boy smiled evenly. "Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I'm looking for this address," he said, pulling a slip of paper from his pocket with his free hand.

Renji, who would have been happy to help even if he was not curious about the boy, read the address and frowned. He had lived in Tokyo almost all his life and had not seen much reason to leave even after they changed its name to Shinto Teito, so he knew that particular address well. "The Tokyo Memorial Cemetery," he nodded gravely. "Yeah, I know it. You got family there?" That would explain his eyes; ah! to lose your family so young.

"An old friend, actually," the teen said, his smile even. "I couldn't make the funeral, sadly, and since this is my first time coming back in a while I thought I should pay my respects."

"I understand completely," said Renji. More than a few of his friends were buried there, too, and he did not visit them half as much as he would like. "Best way to get there is to take the roads south before taking the second exit. From there you should be able to see the Tokyo Monument – that means you're there." Constructed just after the Demon Emperor's fall, the monument had been dedicated to all the victims of the FLEIJAs, but more specifically the millions who had died when Tokyo was destroyed. He had lost even more friends then. Bringing himself back to the moment, he nodded to the still busy station around them, "Might want to take a cab out that way, unless you have somebody waiting for you. Although you might want to wait until the station clears a bit before you try."

Looking around at the busy station, the teen seemed thoughtful. "No, I'm alone, and I think I might just take your advice. You wouldn't mind if I waited here, would you?"

"By all means," he smiled, patting the open space next to him. "Not another train scheduled for about an hour so you shouldn't have to wait long. Oh! My name's Takayama by the way!" He had never much cared for formalities, but some people got nervous if he was too forward.

"Thank you, Takayama-san." As the teen gently placed his long package down and took at seat, he added, "I'm a little embarrassed about my name so I usually only go by my initials. Is that alright?" At the other man's nod, the teen smiled and said, "Then you can call me LL."

"Then, LL-san, do you mind if I ask about what you're carrying there?"

"Just a gift; an old promise I made," he answered, patting the cylindrical container. "To my friend."

Smiling faintly, Renji nodded. "It's good to try and stay in touch even after…" Death. "Everything."

"It's not easy sometimes," LL looked up then, his eyes staring off far into the distance. "What about you? What are you here for? Visiting family?"

"Me?" asked Renji, waving away the idea. "No, no family for me. I just like to come here and think about things."

"Things?"

"Japan, mostly. The past, often. But lately it's Tokyo that's been on my mind."

" _Tokyo_ ," the teen nodded, the name sounding strange on his tongue. Not unfamiliar, but distinctly uncomfortable. "She's been through a lot, hasn't she?" It was not the sort of thing you expect a teenager to say, but he was not wrong.

"A whole lot," agreed Renji. "She's picked her feet up from the Occupation, alright, and you can barely tell there was even a war here now. Should be a time to be cheery, sure, but _Tokyo_ didn't really make it in the end." Not really, not since it was now called—

"Shinto Teito," Like before, that name too sounded strange on his tongue; strange and distinctly unpleasant. "Why was it changed? The name, I mean."

"Damned if I know. Just something that happened," shrugged Renji. "After the war, the new government had a lot on its plate to deal with; little time to be rebuilding a whole city. Most of the government moved to Kyoto; 'temporarily', they said at the time."

"Then who did rebuild it, Takayama-san?"

"MBI," he answered, the initials alone enough. Whether you were Japanese, Britannian, or whatever else, you knew that name. They had basically conquered the world, just a lot more quietly than the Demon Emperor did. "Bought up the whole city at first. Heard it was some sort of charity thing at first, organized by their vice-president, but a few years back they got aggressive about it. Now MBI's President Minaka owns the whole city and it was he who changed the name. That," he pointed towards a tall blackish-blue tower toward the center of the city with a giant clock set at the top. "Is MBI's global head-quarters."

Absently, LL brought a hand to his neck, seemingly messaging it, but his eyes looked out at the city with the kind of calculation you see in a man with a plan. "You feeling okay?" asked Renji.

Only just now realizing what he was doing, the teen quickly straightened his collar, hiding his neck in the process, and answered, "Just fine, Takayama-san. Just an old wound. From childhood."

Nodding in understanding, Renji smiled, "Know that feeling. Got a few of my own from the war."

"You were a soldier?"

"Soldier? No, I was more than that. I was in the Black Knights!" He was not proud of everything in his life, but he was proud of that fact. Pulling up his sleeve, he revealed a bit of scaring on his forearm. "That right there I got from shrapnel at the Battle of Narita!"

"Narita?" repeated the teen, seemingly surprised.

Misunderstanding his meaning, Renji nodded sagely, "Never heard of it? Not surprised it doesn't make the history books. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't much to talk about, but it was big for us."

"Were you a Knightmare pilot, Takayama-san?"

"Not everyone needed a giant robot to make a difference," chuckled Renji; that was the first question everybody asked him. "No, I was ground forces there. Under the command of Inoue-san." A good woman, a fair commander, and another friend lost along the way to Japan's freedom.

"You must have fought alongside Zero-sama, too? What was he like?"

Renji laughed happily; that was the second question everybody always asked him. "Like nothing you'd ever believe without seeing it for yourself. A myth made real." Even now they were happy memories; from a time when the world was obvious and the bad guy plain to see and he could help be the hero. It was every boy's fantasy.

"Then you must have resigned after the Demon Emperor was killed, right?" Japan was free and the world was a peace, it made the most sense to LL.

"Uh, no actually. I resigned after Zero was killed," then, realizing his mistake, he added, "After I _thought_ he was killed; the second time, I mean. After the Second Battle of Tokyo." He felt the kid's eyes on him before he saw them, the question there in his gaze, so he explained, "Just didn't seem right after. To be a Black Knight without Zero." It had nearly killed him to resign; he believed in what they were doing and wanted to do his part.

"Did you ever consider going back?" asked LL, clearly sensing his struggle.

"Once, after Lel—" He caught himself, making the correction, "After the Demon Emperor said he was going to join the UFN." He could not bring himself to look the kid in the face; none of the kid's these days could imagine it: a time when the thought of Lelouch vi Britannia was filled with hope for a better future and not a haunting reminder of how far humanity could fall. "He was a great liar, had the whole world fooled. They called him the ' _Emperor for Justice_ ' in the early days. Some even thought he had secretly been Zero before. Then the UFN meeting, then the Battle of Mt. Fuji…"

Shaking away the memory, of crushed hopes and fear of living beneath Democles and FLEIJA; a teenager like LL probably could not remember the Demon Emperor's reign much, so he decided to change the subject. "And after the war, everybody sat down with the UFN and started making peace. With no more enemies to fight, the Black Knights started down-sizing. No use for a simple soldier then and there are worse reasons to lose your job than world peace…

"Still, no matter how it ended, I am proud of my time as a Black Knight," said Renji with a fond reminiscent smile. "I got to fight for my country, my people, and Zero-sama."

LL looked content, something about either Renji's words or face bringing a half-smile to his face. "I'm sure, in his own way, Zero-sama appreciated your service, Takayama-san."

"Doubt that," he laughed good-naturally. "I was no Kozuki-san or Ohgi-san. I am happy to have played my part, but I doubt Zero-sama even knew my name." How could he? He was just one of hundreds, later thousands, of Black Knights. Even if he was one of the first to join.

"Zero-sama seems the type to try and remember every soldier under his command, at least in the beginning," That said, LL brought himself to his feet, package in hand, nodding towards the almost empty station. "I hope you have a happy life, Renji-san."

"Thank you, LL-san. Same to you—" Then he realized something. "Ah! I don't remember ever giving my full name, LL-san?"

LL smiled evenly, a slight shrug on his shoulders, and said simply, "Must have mentioned it at some point. Have a happy life, Takayama-san."

Then he was gone, the charming and mysterious teenager walking calmly out of the station with a confidence Renji Takayama had not seen in years.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Tokyo Memorial Cemetery, Shinto Teito:**

During the Second Black Rebellion, the Tokyo Settlement was almost completely destroyed by the world's first FLEIJA war-head; the core infrastructure of what was then-Tokyo had been reduced to nothing in a span of seconds. Thankfully, some notable areas managed to avoid the blast; places like Ashford Academy, the surrounding Ghettos, and the Tokyo Memorial Cemetery.

LL had been here a few times before the war and only once after. Emperor Lelouch had chosen this place as the site of Suzaku Kururugi's empty grave, declaring it a state funeral and venerating the Knight of Zero as a hero and martyr with his grave stone towering over the rest. The Demon Emperor had been pleased to see the looks of hatred on every attendee's face, but LL regretted that there was no longer such a place to mourn his best friend. Instead, the obelisk honoring the Knight of Zero had been replaced by an ivory cenotaph marked with each of the twenty million names that had been slain by FLEIJA – a piece constructed jointly by the Japanese government and Nunnally, the 100th Empress of Britannia.

But he had not come here just to think about the past today.

Adjusting his collar, both to conceal his neck and protect himself from the chilly winds of the coming winter season, LL made his way deeper inside, his cylindrical package once more resting against his shoulder as he walked up the slopping hill. The Britannian design aesthetic he had seen as emperor had slowly begun to fade away, with rounded tombstones shifting to more traditional grave markers. There was also a clear intent to plant cherry blossom trees around the borders, but only some of the trees were present now.

As he walked, he tried to keep his eyes from trying to read the markers, anxious that he might recognize a name, and instead focused on the woman he could see gazing down upon one of the many grave markers ahead. Even at a distance, her natural beauty was apparent as a gust of wind sent her long violet hair shifting in the cloudy afternoon light. She wore the dress of a shrine priestess, with hakama to match her hair and a white hoari, bound by sash.

"Miya-san," his voice called out to the woman, stopping only a few feet behind her. "I have returned to Japan."

"LL-san," she answered, her tone even; not turning to face him. "Why have you come?" She could mean Japan, but they both knew she did not.

"You know why, Miya-san," She still did not turn to face him, merely staring down at the grave marker before her. "Things are set to begin in the next few days."

"I am aware."

"And are you willing to—"

"You know my answer to that question, LL-san," The edge to her voice seemed to surprise even herself, because her next words were almost monotone, and she repeated, "Why have you come?"

"Minaka and MBI have already begun releasing Sekirei into the city," he began. "You know that means it is only a matter of time before the fighting begins."

"I am aware."

"And do you intend to do nothing?"

"You already know my answer."

"Then tell my why."

She smiled slightly, her gaze turning fondly onto the still grave as she answered, "I promised Takehito-san, my _husband_ ,"—she emphasized—"That I was done with all that. That I am done fighting."

"Even if it means the Sekirei must suffer for it?" challenged LL, his look challenging her to refute him. "You are the only person who could walk into MBI and end this in an instant; deny Minaka what he wants, kill him if you must, and stop the Sekirei Plan before it even has a chance to begin."

"Takehito-san made me promise to not get involved," she repeated easily. "He made me promise that I would live a normal life."

"Is that your actual answer?"

Turning at last to face him, she said easily, "It is."

"Is that the answer of Miya Asama, the wife of Takehito-san," he asked; his eyes narrowed, his voice going stiff. "Or as Sekirei _No. 01_ Miya, the Pillar."

He knew the answer before he asked and he could tell by the dullness of her eyes the answer would be—"Sekirei _No. 01_ is dead. She died with Takehito-san; I am simply his widow."

"I thought as much," nodded LL, looking away from the wife of Takehito Asama to read the grave she had been standing vigil over.

_Asama Takehito_

_2004 – 2032_

_Loving husband, good friend, better man…_

A grimace crossing his face, LL said, "I'm sorry I couldn't be here to stop this, Takehito-san." Setting down his package, LL unsealed the cylinder's cap; the tube releasing a mechanical hissing sound as fog seemed to billow out. Reaching inside with his narrow fingers, he seemed to grab hold of something; pulling up gently to reveal a small glass cube. Miya Asama watched all this with casual ease until she saw what was inside the glass: it was a lotus flower, its velvet like petals wrapped protectively around a brilliant yellow center as it sat suspended perfectly at the center of the glass cube.

"Long ago, in a Japan known before the Demon Emperor or even Britannia," began LL, his fingers cradling around the glass box. "There was a story; a legend, of gods descending from heaven on ships of rock – the Iwafune - to bring either peace or war to the land."

"Why have you come here, LL-san?" asked Miya, knowing the story well already.

But he ignored her, continuing, "In the world we live today, of technology and industry, the legend was dismissed as simple fable. That was until one man, Hiroto Minaka, thought he figured it out. Even in his youth, he was heralded as one of the greatest intellects of the age and pursued this legend."

"Why are you here?" she repeated, eyes narrowing.

"After years of searching he found it, the ship of legend; it had not come from heaven, but a distant star." LL's eyes looked up as if to see the star in question. "The ship carried not descending gods, but life-forms from that distant star called Sekirei. Using the technology found there, Minaka founded Mid Bio Informatics and using MBI, Minaka intends to start the Sekirei Plan. In that plan, the Sekirei will find their bonded Ashikabi and compete until there is only one left."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Miya. She already knew this and he knew that.

His eyes drifting from the sky to meet her, he answered, seemingly knowing her thoughts, "I know Sekirei _No. 01_ knew this. I do not know if Miya Asama knows this. Does she know almost her entire race will be rendered extinct?"

"She does." There was no feeling there; no echoes of remorse or hatred.

"And she still intends to do nothing?"

"She does."

There was silence between them, one filled with the weight of that answer. LL did not speak, did not mock or censure her for the choice, and merely nodded calmly. "For Takehito-san you would abandon everything," He was not asking a question, simply stating a fact, and when Miya did not move to correct him, he sighed. "Before I left, Takehito-san told me he would watch over things for me here until it was time. I had hoped he might find a way to stop things, but maybe that was expecting too much."

Kneeling down, LL reached out to touch the marker over Takehito Asama's grave. "If you couldn't do it, if Minaka refuses to see reason, and…" His eyes shifted to his side, to the one-time Sekirei No. 01. "If she refuses to accept responsibility for this," He rose evenly, his lotus cube left at Takehito's side. "Then give it to me."

Miya knew what he wanted, but she asked regardless. "What can I give you?"

"Kouten," he answered plainly. "To solve all this, you need three things: the site of the Iwafune's crash at Kamikura Island, the Jinki used to operate it, and the control platform Kouten. Minaka has the former, but only Sekirei _No. 01_ can use Kouten. Surrender it to me."

"And what would you do with it, LL-san?" asked Miya Asama distantly. "With the power of a god?"

"Let me ask you this in turn," said LL, a thin smile pulling at his lips. "What trait is most important for governing the world?"

"Pride," answered Miya immediately. "Self-respect. Honor."

"You speak with wisdom, Miya-san," he recited the words like one might a script from a play. "But I would submit a different answer: the will to destroy."

"So you would destroy it, then? Destroy Kouten?"

"If the alternative is war, if the alternative is the disruption of the peace of this world," His eyes narrowed and for a moment Miya thought she could see the depths of red that had been there when they first met. "I would destroy anything."

"It seems he still yet lives, Lelouch vi Britannia," she thought aloud. To him, she asked plainly, "And if I refuse?"

"Then you know who I must go see next," answered LL evenly. "And we play Minaka's game her way. She and I, maybe one more, will fight, terminate, or kill ever last enemy until we have every Jinki, until we claim Kamikura Island from MBI, and until I pull Kouten from the sky. Either way, it is destroyed and either way peace will be restored."

"I thought that would be your answer," She looked away, once more gazing upon Takehito Asama's grave. "But it does not change mine."

"So it doesn't," he frowned, but did not seem surprised.

"Sekirei are beings of passion, if not love," remarked Miya. "For a Sekirei they are never truly complete until they find the person capable of completing them, often in ways they never imagined. For those who achieve this state, it may be possible to reshape this very world. But even with amazing power, there remains one constant driving force in all their lives: the pursuit of that passion, their Ashikabi."

She laughed lightly, without true mirth, a hand covering her mouth as she seemed to find amusement in the thought. "That being said, I always felt it was such a surprise that of all the Sekirei the first to react and find their Ashikabi was _her_ ,"—there was no mistaking the vehemence in her voice. "Or that you, of all people, would catch her attention."

"Takehito-san thought the Sekirei were tied to fate and that an Ashikabi was merely the manifestation of that fate," reminded LL.

"And do you believe it fate? Do you accept it?"

"Once I did," answered LL. "I thought that even if there wasn't any fate, there were sins you could only redeem yourself for through death and that would bind you just the same. Now I know there is no such thing." He brought a hand to his high collared shirt, undid the button there, and revealed the symbol of a bird etched at the base of his throat. "Now I know the only path for those who even death has denied is an eternal penance."

His eyes stared off into the far distance, beyond the cemetery and beyond even the world itself. "If the only path ahead is one paved in blood, then that is my fate; as an Ashikabi and as a person," said LL. "There is no other path to walk. I hope we meet again, Miya Asama the Widow, before things come to end."

As he clasped his shirt, the man who was once Lelouch vi Britannia turned away and readied himself for what was to come. The Sekirei Plan was about to begin…

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this story will focus on the Sekirei side of the things, but I wanted to dedicate the first chapter to explaining where Lelouch, or LL, is now. Had a lot of fun writing the bit exploring the Demon Emperor's reign (something I so rarely ever get to see) and showing how the two worlds are connected. Next chapter will focus more on the Sekirei side of the story and properly introduce his first Sekirei.
> 
> Make sure and tell me how it came out, what you are hoping to see, and anything else that catches your interest. I will try and respond to any questions as I am able, but I am still getting used to how things work over here this site.


	2. Second Feather: The Knight of Zero

_Second Feather:_ **The Knight of Zero**

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2018**

**Kamikura Island, Area Eleven:**

Her feet were cold; bare toes colliding with the chilled metal surface. She focused on that feeling, on the movement brought about with each step she took, and tried to ignore the world outside of that feeling. Around her the occasional lab coat wearing scientist would pass her by with little more than a backwards glance, hurrying past without saying a word. They never did. In truth, she did not speak with most of the people around her. Either they were forbidden from speaking to her or they just chose to ignore her, but that suited her just fine. She was used to being alone here, used to being thought of as little more than a test subject.

"You shouldn't be so careless," chided Takami Sahashi from beside her, the older woman's grip around the little girl's wrist tightening as she rushed her down the hall. Takami was one of the few people who payed any attention to her, whether she wanted it or not. "You know your strength is greater than any humans could be." Humans… She did not much care for that word. Takami continued, "That researcher was just trying to take a blood sample. You didn't need to break his wrist."

"I told him I didn't want any more shots," the little girl grumbled, her feet making a dull thudding noise on the metal floor beneath them. "I told him to stop. He didn't." Besides, she had only meant to shove him away; it was not her fault humans were so frail.

Takami sighed, her breath coming out as steam, and shook her head wearily. The gray streaks spreading across her naturally black hair saying more than any words could the kind of stress she was dealing with. Her pristine white lab coat marked her as a researcher like the rest. "Be that as it may, you've already been warned how dangerous it can be if you don't control your strength." With a side-ways glance at the girl beside her, Takami added, "We've already had to adjust your body more than any of the others. If this keeps up it might put too much strain on you and…" She left the rest unsaid, but they both knew what she meant. She might break; like a child's doll.

"We know so little about what kind of limits Sekirei bodies have or how powerful they can be," continued Takami, seemingly to herself now. "And with No. 05 still causing quakes, No. 02 randomly crashing our computers…" She paused, taking a calming breathe, before finishing, "We don't need you destroying any more equipment or hurting the few researchers Minaka was willing to hire. Do you understand?"

"I do," she mumbled, not looking up from her feet. Takami sent her a doubtful look, but said nothing more on the matter.

When they finally came to a stop, the two stood before a large metal door so much like the others found here. Releasing the little girl's hand, Takami Sahashi pressed a few buttons on a nearby wall console before the door slid open. "Alright," began Takami stiffly. "This is my office. Just wait here while I sort this mess out. I need to make sure that researcher is treated before I send Asama-san down to check you over."

The smaller girl eyed the room cautiously, but entered regardless. The moment she stepped inside, however, the metal door closed behind her and the echoing of Takami Sahashi's heels could be heard moving down the hall at a hurried pace. She strained her ears to follow the sound as far as she could, her Sekirei physiology granting her not only improved strength, but hearing as compared to human senses.

Left alone, the young girl turned to face her surroundings with indifference. Takami Sahashi was a stern professional and that reflected in her cramped office. A couch rested on the far side of the room, but it was over-flowing with stacks of papers. She glanced over them briefly, but dismissed them soon after; they were mostly lab reports. A small bookshelf was pressed tightly into the corner with various books piled on, ranging from texts on Japanese mythology, world legends, and biology. She quickly dismissed them all for much the same reason as the reports.

"I've had enough of doctors," she mumbled irritably as she lifted herself up onto an office chair. Takami Sahashi's desk was piled up much like her couch, lab reports spread out on the table with a nearby note-book containing her quickly jotted down thoughts. Words like "Sekirei", "mucosal", "bonding", and "Ashikabi" were prominent, but they told the girl nothing she did not already know.

There was a small picture frame set behind the computer, the image showing an actually smiling Takami Sahashi standing over two small children who clearly took after their apparent mother. For some reason, the sight of that picture reminded the girl how cold the room felt and she found herself tucking her bare feat under herself for some kind of comfort. It made no difference.

Just when she was about to climb down, however, she heard it—

" _The footage you're seeing is over Mt. Fuji,_ " rumbled the quiet buzz of a small television hidden underneath a pile of papers. The little girl, curious, shoved the papers off the desk with an apathetic hand to reveal the small screen. It displayed a stiff faced man seemingly talking about a series of grainy images playing out behind him. It showed a group of humans clamoring into what she knew distantly were called Knightmares – the giant machines they used because they were too weak to fight on their own. She had asked Asama if she could fight one, but had been soundly rejected.

There was apparently some kind of battle going on as the so-called Knightmares fluttered about in the sky, rushing past flying ships to attack other Knightmares. An array of explosions covered the screen as black and red Knightmares opened fire on blue and purple ones and an answering volley seemed to over-whelm the camera taking these pictures because it suddenly switched to one of the very mountain she could remember seeing off in the distance on clear sunny days, on the rare moments she was actually allowed to go outside, suddenly explode; billowing flames rising up to consume hundreds of Knightmares and flying ships.

The television man was still talking: " _No word yet on what caused the sudden eruption of Mt. Fuji, but our station experts believe the sheer size of the eruption was likely due the wealth of sakuradite ore still inside—_ " The man began going into detail, but she quickly lost interest and was trying to follow everything about the battle. She had never heard of this battle before and human wars were one of the few parts about their history she cared about. There was humor in it, she supposed, of hearing about weak humans killing even weaker humans and—

Her eyes found it then, a figure hidden in the series of images. It was a lean man dressed in fancy white robes standing atop a black and gold Knightmare; his robe fluttered in the harsh air like raging serpents and he was waving a large, ornate sword around as he spoke. Her eyes traced every movement he made and for reasons she could not guess, she wanted to hear what he was saying. Fortunately, the little man in the television seemed to agree.

" _Before the battle began, Emperor Lelouch of Britannia broadcasted the following message,_ " said the reporter, the image switching from him that of the white robed man. He spoke clearly even amidst the wind and he spoke words of war: " _This battle is the ultimate test! Control of the entire world is at stake!_ " She had heard of war and conquest, but never had she heard anything about world domination. The girl felt a tingle spreading from the tips of her fingers up her arm, her eyes watching each flourishing motion this man, Emperor Lelouch, made.

" _This world shall be destroyed!_ " he was saying, that word alone setting her heart racing. " _And recreated by Lelouch, the one true Emperor of Britannia! Crush them! Destroy Schneizel and the sky fortress Damocles! We have nothing to fear! My name is the future of this world!"_ There was a sudden chant of "All Hail Lelouch" from the assembly of soldiers, their clenched fists held over their hearts and heads in salute.

The girl watched the stream of images for what seemed like hours, her eyes wide with fascination and excitement. She found herself scanning the chaos of the battle, looking for any glimpse of a white robed emperor planning to destroy the world or his distinctive black and gold Knightmare. Just when she was about to give up hope, though, the screen began to shake apart and fizzle out. The television man gave a startled gasp before the screen went black…

Only to stutter back into place. " _Attention entire world! Hear my proclamation!_ " She recognized the booming voice before she saw his face for the first time. It with thin and angular, sharp edges and smooth surfaces; he had neat black hair and cold amethyst-like eyes. It was him, it was—" _I am Lelouch vi Britannia, Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire and your only ruler!_ " He spoke the words, challenging anyone to question him. Did that mean he won?

" _Schneizel has surrendered to me. As a result of this, I am now in control of both the Damocles and the FLEIJA weapons._ " She did not know what those were, but he spoke as if they were instrumental pieces to ruling the world. Maybe they were. " _Even the Black Knights no longer possess the strength to oppose me now. If anyone dares to resist my supreme authority, they shall know the devastating power of the FLEIJAs! Those who could challenge my military rule no longer exist. Yes!_ "

She watched him do it; seemingly her whole being alight with a fire she had never known before. With booming voice and clear tones, Emperor Lelouch claimed his victory, " _Form this day, from this moment forward!_ " She felt it, an ache in her chest. " _The World!_ " It was like a fire. " _Belongs!_ " No, it was a fire; eating away at her very soul. " _To Me!_ " Her eyes were a swirl with a passion she had never imagined before, her mind only recognizing the whoosh of a door behind her distantly as her entire being focused on the tiny screen before her.

Her Emperor was speaking: " _Lelouch vi Britannia commands you! Obey me subjects, obey me world!_ "

"I found him," she whispered on trembling lips, her breathe coming out in billowing fog. She felt the urge to move. "I found my Ashikabi!"

The screen was blaring loudly behind her, the whole world seemed to be filled with shouts and cries of "All Hail Lelouch" but she could not take the time to stop. Her feet had already hit the floor before she realized she had even stood up. She still felt the coldness of the steel floor, but it seemed like a distant thing compared to the inferno that had griped her chest and forced her haggard breathes out like a half-choked scream.

Her mind was a swirl of thoughts and feelings, all centered around leaving this place and finding her Ashikabi; of reaching this Mt. Fuji or Democles or wherever he was and…

She did not know when she fell down, but as her shaking eyes stared up the blaring white light of the lamp above, she could faintly hear a voice. It was like tapping compared to the veritable drumming of blood rushing through her at this point, but she recognized it as Takehito Asama calling out to her. He asked a dozen questions, but she heard none of them… "I—I found my Ashikabi-sama," she laughed madly, the sound bubbling out of her like a strangled garble of noise. "I found him! Lelouch-sama!"

She felt a slight stinging in her shoulder and was only vaguely coherent enough to assume it was an injection of some kind. As she felt that surging flame rise up and threaten to engulf her very being, she still tried to picture the face of her Ashikabi; even as she felt herself being pulled down into sleep, she still tried to imagine what his voice would sound like saying her name.

If she tried real hard, she thought she could almost hear it!

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Room #010, 25** **th** **Floor, Tokyo Executive Suites, Shinto Teito:**

"Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba," LL spoke the words evenly; like a casual greeting one might share with a neighbor they rarely saw. Closing the door behind him, he advanced in the barren apartment with ease, measuring each step as he approached the woman seated before him.

She was reclined almost languidly in a plush arm-chair, one foot balanced on her knee, with a nodachi blade sheathed at her side in a black scabbard; a set of ruby like fixtures meeting the guard and catching the dim lighting above. "You wound me," she said plainly, her tone both mocking and playful. So much like Karasuba… "Is that any way to greet me after so long, Ashikabi- _chan_?" Her eyes were closed, but he could still see rolling amusement course through her in the slight up-turn of her lips, half a smile and sneer all in one. Her sharp and lightly tinted grey hair framing her face like barbed wire, the long pony-tail draped over the back of the chair and almost pooling on the floor as she leaned back sedately.

"My apologies," said LL mildly, ignoring her attempts to rile him with Japanese honorifics. Mostly. "I'll try to do better next time, Sekirei- _kun_."

For the first time, he cast his gaze about the apartment; despite its rather ostentatious position in the center of the city, the Tokyo Executive Suites lacked the opulence one might expect. There were about four rooms in total, one lavatory, and a sizable sitting area that Karasuba seemed to have claimed as her personal fiefdom. While the rest of the apartment was left empty, it was only here that showed any signs of habitation; a half empty wine bottle sat at the center of the table, an untouched glass at its side, and a half drained one on the other. A black box rested by Karasuba's side, but it had been left un-opened.

As LL stepped around the sofa, he pulled off his suit jacket; setting it over the side of the furniture after folding it over gently. It was only after taking his seat that she responded, "I see you went to see No. 01," It was not a question, but the tone lacked the challenge he had been expecting to hear. "And, knowing her, she denied you." Even if she still had not opened her eyes, LL knew the woman before him well enough to feel her searching gaze on him none-the-less.

"She did," he confirmed, no point denying it. "Which means the Plan will commence as expected." This answer seemed to please her because a small grin started to form at the edge of her mouth. It reminded him, more that slightly, about his own smile at times. Shaking away the thought, he began, "Minaka has already begun releasing Sekirei into Shinto Teito."

"He has," she answered easily.

"How many?"

Her head tilted to the side, as if considering the question; a thoughtful frown gracing her features. "About thirty or so, I'd guess," she eventually replied. "With the next portion set to be released in the next few days. That's all including the Single Numbers already loose." By and large, a Sekirei's actual number had little to no bearing on their actual abilities with the individual Sekirei's own strengths and weaknesses being the only factor. That was not the case when considering the Sekirei who had a single digit designation. As the first Sekirei awakened, they had been able to mature into their powers before MBI realized how much that power would need to be adjusted; not only for the sake of any humans they might come across, but the Sekirei themselves.

His mind racing with possibilities, LL found himself considering the many paths open to him now. Karasuba, as No. 04, qualified as a Single Number and her general temperament made her naturally suited to a life or death game like MBI's Sekirei Plan; that said, even her power was not absolute. A sizable enough team, with varied enough powers, and possibly augmented by one or two other Single Numbers would probably be enough to defeat her. In the event of that…

"You're thinking awfully hard on this," observed Karasuba lightly. "Care to share your thoughts?"

"Simply considering my next move," he answered with a casual wave of his hand. "Even with such a powerful piece at my disposal, this match will not be such a simple task. There is also your position on MBI's Disciplinary Squad to consider." The Disciplinary Squad was Minaka's idea originally; to use a small team of select Sekirei to police the others and protect the Plan's interests. LL had agreed with the principle behind it, but… Regardless, Karasuba was now the head of the Third Generation Disciplinary Squad and even later on in this game they would still have a role to play. At least until…

"Your position with them puts me at a disadvantage of one move," LL was saying, his narrow jaw held in his hand as he considered his options.

It was the sound of muffled laughter that tore him from this state, his false blue eyes drifting over to see Karasuba leaning over in her chair to smother her obvious humor. "You are really so serious," she said between chortles. "Always planning, always scheming… Usually while brooding and using chess metaphors."

This was not the first time some-one had mentioned his so called "brooding" or use of chess, but still he found himself reacting defensively. "Minaka calls this a game, doesn't he?" asked LL with a shrug. "Why shouldn't I treat this whole thing like a game of chess? Me against one-hundred-and-five enemy pieces." The analogy of chess to war had severed him well as both Zero and the Demon Emperor; he doubted the allusions would lack any meaning in an actual game like the Sekirei Plan.

Something about his answer seemed to please her because an easy smile fitted into place as she said, "Yes, you're right. This all is game for people like us." Setting her sword and scabbard against the chair she was now sitting, Karasuba took hold of the here-to unexplained black box before setting it down on the table. "I wanted to celebrate our reunion," she said by way of explanation as she lifted the top off. Inside was a slate of jaggedly cut silver limestone with a checkered pattern of white and black squares along its surface. "And how can we play our game without a suitable board?"

LL smiled evenly at the apparent gift of a chess board, but made no word of gratitude as a widely grinning Karasuba began setting the board. She started with white, but did not place the pieces in their proper order; some of the white pawns sat balanced on the edge between squares, a white rook sat near the black knights starting point of the board, and the white queen piece had replaced the white king, which Karasuba had not even bothered setting down. Spread about the board in apparently random places was every other white piece, but not a single black.

Some of his confusion must have shown because Karasuba's eyes actually seemed to open into narrow slits, her smile never faltering, as she said, "This is your game after all. Where does the king begin?" Then she held out a black gloved hand, an ornately decorated black king piece set with a ruby jewel affixed at its head and held between the exposed fingers of whom LL knew to be one of the most dangerous people in the world.

LL took the piece without hesitation, his slim fingers lightly brushing against her rough and calloused ones, and felt the weight of it. It felt right. "The enemy might out-number us," he said, Karasuba's grin now a mirror to his own. "But there is a difference between strategy and tactics. With the right moves, the conditions for my victory are obvious." It was then he saw the board for what it was; what Karasuba had set it up to be: Shinto Teito, with the scattered array of oddly placed white pieces representing the other Sekirei.

Without hesitation, LL placed the black king piece down at the direct center of the board; its chiseled marble frame seemingly towering over the board. Mirroring his own choice, Karasuba swiftly set the black queen piece down at the side of the king; as the strongest piece on his side, it suited her well. "The first move should be to assess the enemies' strength," he began thinking aloud. "Particularly any apparent concentration of power around one Ashikabi. While I am confident you could defeat any Sekirei one-on-one, there is no accounting for variables in numbers, terrain, abilities, or any combination of the three."

Smirking slyly, she asked, "My orders, Your Majesty?"

"Return to MBI," he said at once, causing her smile to dim slightly. "And find out the current status of Sekirei emergence. For a Sekirei to attain their full power, they must emerge with the help of their Ashikabi. Finding out if anyone has multiple Sekirei, or if they have any Single Numbers, should be the first priority; especially in the case of No. 02, No. 03, and No. 05." The original Disciplinary Squad, he meant; the first five Sekirei awakened, of which Karasuba was No. 04. "Seek out Takami Sahashi if you must."

"Your Majesty," she answered with an overly dramatic flourish of her arm, fist clenching over her chest as a predatory smile reaches her lips. "Anything else?"

He hesitated to speak further, one other thought coming to mind. "About the other project…" he began tentatively, testing, "Your little sister?"

Karasuba's expression darkened at the mere mention of her so-called "little sister", the humor and urge to fight dimming at the mention. "She's alive," she answered bitterly. "But still being adjusted. Her control still needs some work."

LL nodded placidly at this, his eyes turning back to the board between the Ashikabi and Sekirei pair. "It was always a difficult power to control," he said at last. "A mistake on my part that I didn't finish adjustments myself before leaving."

Her eyes narrowing at those words, Karasuba scoffed dismissively. "If she can't even control her own power that just means she's weak," she remarked scathingly. "Hardly worth our time."

"All the same," LL answered easily. "I want you to check up on her."

Karasuba scowled, the motion drawing attention to the dark shadows forming under her eyes, but she said nothing else on the matter. Before she had a chance to change the subject, a vibration pulled her attention down to her hip. Her lip twitching in agitation, Sekirei No. 04 took hold of the offending mobile phone and flipped it open with disdain. Bringing it to her ear, she snapped, "What is it?"

From where he sat examining the board and considering the possibilities, LL could not hear the short conversation that passed between his only Sekirei and the caller, but a few seconds after it had begun the call ended. Clearly annoyed, Karasuba rose easily to her feet, but it was with the familiarity of a long relationship that LL noticed the seemingly unconscious twitch of her fingers around the hilt of her nodachi.

"Problems at MBI?" he concluded.

"Yes," said Karasuba shortly. "One of the other Sekirei doesn't seem to feel like waiting and has tried escaping early. Takami-san wants me to retrieve her."

"Go on, then," nodded LL to the door. "If Takami-san is calling you that likely means the Sekirei in question has not completed her adjustments."

"Try not to sound so sad," smirked the Sekirei, already turning towards the door, scabbard in hand. "This apartment is less than an hour away from MBI Tower. You'll be seeing plenty of me."

"I know," LL said evenly. "That's one of the reasons I chose this place. It won't take long for you to get here in-case of emergencies."

" _My..._ How touching," drawled Karasuba sarcastically. "And here I was thinking you just wanted me close, Ashikabi- _chan_."

Before she could exit the apartment, his voice stopped her one final time: "Karasuba," he said distantly, his gaze anywhere but her. "Thank you. For the board."

"I live to serve, Your Majesty!" she offered one final bow, more reminiscent of a Britannian knight than a Sekirei, before making her way out into the night. Her eyes were closed as she leapt from building to building, her destination MBI Tower, but a vicious smile tore at her lips. Her promise bleeding away on wind:

"Someones going to pay dearly for interrupting my reunion with my Emperor!"

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Mid Bio Informatics Global Headquarters (Teito Tower), Shinto Teito:**

They were certainly noisy little things, these MBI soldiers, she considered as yet another group of men in blackish-green armor stomped by; the stenciled white letters of M-B-I on their backs the only distinguishing feature of the otherwise drab uniform. Yahan listened as they went, her superior hearing following their movements down the hall and only losing them as they began climbing the stairs, a pleased smirk on her face. If she had known it was going to be this easy to escape this place, she would have done so years ago.

Rolling over and off the large over-hanging pipe she had been concealing herself behind, Yahan quickly righted her posture and caught her footing on the floor below, the slight positioning of her knee-high leather boots barely making a sound in a sign of superlative dexterity that would be the envy of any human. Minutely re-positioning her high-collared shawl before wiping a bit of dust off her precious sarong, Yahan allowed a satisfied smile to grace her dark complexion as she gazed down the empty hall.

"Really," she considered aloud, running a hand through her waist-length black hair. "If I wasn't so worried about the Disciplinary Squad, I could just fight my way through all these people and have been out of here by now." However, caution and stealth were the wiser choices here so Yahan clung to the shadows as was her want. She did not use her powers, though, and instead relied on her hearing to guide her in the midst of MBI's labyrinthine fortress of a tower.

But she was patient and had been planning this for weeks now. She was not sure about the Sekirei Plan or this Ashikabi business, but she had well enough of Sahashi, MBI, and all their stupid adjustments. Thus resolved: the proclaimed Sekirei of Shadows, Yahan, clung to her element of choice and sent a mocking snipe of internal gratitude to the idiot Minaka had hired for the lighting in this place. While brightly illuminated along the central path, the walls were cast in oppressive shadows and offered more than enough coverage to move past the ever present MBI security cameras with the faintest use of her Sekirei powers; allowing Yahan to walk at an easy pace in search of the nearest balcony or side door from which she could fling herself to safety.

Perhaps she had been so distracted in these ruminations, or maybe her powers dampened her own senses as well, but it was only after the oppressive feeling of dread had reached her that Yahan noticed the soft echoes of foot-steps behind her. Step, _step_ , **step** ; they were getting closer, too. Thinking it was another MBI security patrol, Yahan was about to jump back along the metal pipe work above when she heard it; that voice:

"Out for an evening stroll, No. 57?" asked the chilled voice of a monster, no matter how sweet the tone might sound or how widely it might smile.

Realizing simple subterfuge was not going to work against an opponent like this, Yahan merely smiled sardonically as she turned to face her pursuer. "Oh, you know it is my name-sake after all!" she gestured out the wall of glass at her side and the brilliant moon-light above. At its height now, the moon cast the city below in a brilliant shade of white. A city Yahan had always been denied. Not anymore. "What about yourself, Karasuba-san? How has your night been?"

Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba of the Disciplinary Squad, titled her head slightly, setting her long grey pony-tail adrift amidst the faint breeze of the hall. She seemed to be considering the younger Sekirei before her through closed eyes. "Oh, my night has been going absolutely marvelous," she answers brightly, sounding genuinely happier than Yahan had ever heard her sound before. "Or at least, it had been." There was a flexing of her tone and the slightest dimming of her nigh-ever present smile that spoke volumes about her mood.

Oh, _shit_ … For some reason, on now of all nights, the damned head of the Disciplinary Squad had actually been doing something fun. Yahan had no idea what a sadist and monster like No. 04 could have been doing, but whatever it was must have really gotten her attention. Either that or the sheer amount of murderous rage Karasuba was emitting and pouring down on her shoulders right now was normal. Hmm… On second thought, that seemed more likely.

"Don't let me keep you," tried Yahan, offering No. 04 a slight bow and a dramatic gesture of the hand past her. Please take it…

"I think not," said the accursed woman instead, her damned smile coming back in full. "You see, I'm under orders to bring you back to Takami-san."

So she was playing that game. Trying to suppress that instinct in the back of head telling her to run, Yahan instead released a calming sigh. "As expected of MBI's black hound, always following orders," she muttered faintly.

Evidently not faintly enough, however, because that seemed to particularly catch No. 04's attention; her closed eyes opening into slits to reveal the cold and emotionless grey beneath. "So you think I'm nothing more than a dog, do you?" she asked with a deathly still tone. There was a slight shifting of her feet, the dull scraping of Karasuba's thigh-high black boots scratching themselves across the floor that gave her the appearance of a beast about to leap out.

Sensing weakness, Yahan smirked, challenging, "I didn't happen to touch on a nerve, did I?" She never saw it. She only heard the whistling, the sound of steel slicing through air, and it was only her in-grained survival instinct that allowed Yahan to narrowly avoid the nodachi blade suddenly thrust at her face. Karasuba held the blade, nearly the length of her entire body, deftly with two hands; the lunge clearly meant to act as a warning since no follow-up attack was made.

" _My_ , you've actually got some decent reflexes," remarked No. 04, her eyes once more closed and a smile fitted back in place. "My compliments."

"Well, I do try," said Yahan cautiously, taking a slight step back, only for the blade to find itself once more at the side of her neck.

"I think we both know what happens next," smiled Karasuba evenly. "Try not to die too quickly." The nodachi was already moving, barreling now on the Shadow Sekirei without any hint of a slowing this time. Yahan tried to duck, to twist out of the way, but No. 04 was a superb swords-woman and corrected even the slightest millimeters of difference she could manage to get. Scowling briefly, Yahan withdrew her prized dagger, its gleaming silver curve like a chiseled out piece of moonlight, and tried knocking the longer blade to the side. All she needed was an opening…

Karasuba smiled all the wider, her eyes slanting open as she allowed the action. The nodachi was bashed to the side, still held tightly in No. 04's right grip, but Yahan did not waste the brief window and instead tried plunging her dagger into the older Sekirei's breast, into her heart. " _I've got her!_ " thought Yahan with pleasure, only for that hope to be shattered as Karasuba's left hand closed around her thrusting wrist. All movement was stopped.

Karasuba looked down at the younger Sekirei struggling in her one-handed grip with amusement. "You said I was a hound before," she reminded easily, like she was talking about the weather.

Frantically trying to pull her wrist free, Yahan snapped, "What about it!?"

"I just thought I'd correct you," answered Karasuba. "I'm not a hound for MBI."

"Then what are you?" That was it; keep her talking until she could find a way to…

"I'm the Knight of Zero," announced No. 04, the obvious hint of both a boast and something akin to pride in her voice. "I'm nobody's simple hound." What the hell was that!? Yahan had no idea and that must have shown on her face because Karasuba only smiled mockingly down at her. "The title ' _Knight of Zero_ ' is given to this world's mightiest warrior; its most talented fighter." There was clearly more to it than that by the wistful, almost contented look to her face, but she did not elaborate.

"So you're a knight, big deal," sniped Yahan, her teeth mashing in her mouth. "Doesn't matter. You are still just MBI's lap-dog."

"No, you still don't understand," insisted Karasuba, actually letting go of her hand. Immediately, Yahan jumped backwards, trying to get some distance between the two Sekirei, but No. 04 did not seem to notice. She shook her head, clearly bemused, and was muttering, "How do I make you… Oh! I've got it!" Her right hand still wielding her sword, Karasuba reached into the folds of her black leather top to reveal… a silver chain?

Yahan stared at the piece of jewelry with a suspicious gaze. It was a thin chain looped easily around No. 04's neck, but it was the medallion attached to it that seemed to really draw her attention. It was like a piece of polished ivory, wreathed in golden serpents, and beset with a ruby in the shape of an eye or oval. It stood out prominently against Karasuba's otherwise black and grey ensemble and she seemed to hold it with an air of reverence or awe she reserved only for her blade, which she held with equal pleasure. "This medallion," she said by way of explanation. "Is called the _Demon's Eye_ ; it was the personal crest of Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia."

That, at least, was a name Yahan had heard before; even tucked away in MBI's darkest labs, she had heard of the Demon Emperor. "Some dead human, right?" she said dismissively, not understanding No. 04's apparent enthusiasm. "I didn't know you were such a fan of humans."

"Oh, I'm not," denied Karasuba easily, her face the picture of apathetic to all things human. "But my Ashikabi-chan has shared with me a bit of their history. Emperor Lelouch succeeded in conquering the whole world, you see, and the warrior who helped him do it was the Knight of Zero." She did not seem as inclined to say the knight's name, apparently.

" _Right, Karasuba was the first Sekirei to find their Ashikabi; poor bastard._ " Yahan thought with sympathy. Outwardly, she scoffed and asked, "Does your ' _Ashikabi-chan_ ' know you talk about other people like this? Besides, isn't he human, too?"

"My Ashikabi-chan is far from human," smiled Karasuba evasively, eyes shut and all smiles once more. "But I admit the story of Emperor Lelouch inspires me a little. I wonder what it would be like? Serving as the Knight of Zero, yet ruling over all these humans. Killing at my leisure, smiting down my Ashikabi-chan's enemies…" She must have been imagining it because her head seemed to tilt slightly, eyes closed shut and her smile nearly reaching ear-to-ear.

" _She's clearly insane,_ " concluded Yahan internally. " _But also distracted. Now's my chance._ " Most Sekirei lacked any truly extraordinary powers. Compared to humans, they all had greater strength, speed, dexterity, and were generally speaking more physically fit, and for most that was the extent of their power. Even Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba, was no exception to this despite her nearly murderous killing intent and intimidating aura. Yahan, however, was not like most; she was special, and even as Sekirei No. 57 it was possible for her to defeat a Single Number like Karasuba by using that power.

MBI President Hiroto Minaka had given every Sekirei their own personal epithet and usually the name expressed something about the Sekirei's personality or power. For Sekirei _No. 57_ , Yahan, her epithet was the latter and she was called the Sekirei of Shadows. Not only could she use shadows to conceal her presence, she could also traverse short distances in about the same time it would take for a shadow to reach them. If No. 04 was going to just stand there, giving her an easy target…

While Karasuba was lost in fantasies of world dictatorship and indiscriminate blood-letting, No. 57 used that which made her special and wielded the very power of shadows to envelop her entire form. Karasuba, the trained warrior that she was, took immediate notice of this. " _Doesn't matter, it's too late,_ " thought Yahan, as she felt her body merge with the darkness around her. Now she had to…

"You don't really think this little trick will be able to kill me, do you?" asked Karasuba airily, a smile on her lips despite the open slits of her eyes.

According to MBI, there were only two ways to defeat a Sekirei: kill or termination. Termination was the term used when the crest on a Sekirei's back was dissolved; rendering them alive, but comatose. But the crest only appeared when a Sekirei had been made to emerge by an Ashikabi. Karasuba was the first Sekirei to ever emerge, so she obviously had such a mark, but unfortunately the dissolution of a crest could only be triggered by another Sekirei declaring their Norito pledge; a prayer-like chant unique to each Sekirei and only known to them after finding their Ashikabi. Yahan had yet to find her Ashikabi so she did not know her Norito.

A Sekirei could also be terminated after suffering enough damage their body naturally dissolves the crest as per MBI's protocol. The problem with this, though, is that it led very easily into killing if you were not careful. Even with their advanced bodies and powers, a Sekirei could die just like any human. Killing a Sekirei was not exactly against the rules of MBI's Sekirei Plan, but it was strongly discouraged and probably subject to some form of censure from MBI. However, the way Yahan saw it, she was already going against MBI by trying to escape and she was already on their wanted list judging by the fact their Disciplinary Squad's leader had been sent after her.

Without a Norito and without giving up, what choice did she have?

Besides, Karasuba was far from the nicest person out there.

Urging the shadows to move at her command, Yahan guided them with her thoughts and will, the darkness surrounding her ready to obey with apparent joy. She would angle them around to the exposed back of No. 04 and plunge her sliver moon-shaped dagger into her back. Then rinse and repeat until the famed Karasuba, the First Emerged Sekirei, was dead at her feet. From there it would all be freedom and beautiful cities in the pale moonlight for Yahan. That and that alone was enough to drive her forward.

Karasuba stood relaxed, not an apparent care in the world for her eminent death, and shrugged her shoulders with a casual ease. Her narrow grey eyes surveyed the dimly lit, yet barren corridor around her minutely. There was a subtle shift in the shadows, like a light breeze catching a tree branch, but there was no obvious movement anywhere. "This is really starting to bore me," she sighed. "Can't we just skip to the end already?"

There was seemingly an answer in the darkness around her, one that leapt at the chance to respond, and Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba lifted up her nodachi to meet it with ease. The blade sang in the air like music at a symphony and in answer… the scent of blood filled the hall.

Yahan was thrown back by the sheer force of the blade that had nearly cleaved her entire arm in a single stroke, her much vaunted shadows seemingly failing her at the moment of impact, and leaving the ground between No. 04 and No. 57 stained red with the blood of the latter. Yahan tried to grip her dagger tightly, but her torn muscles and nerves screamed from the effort. Her vision was fading fast. "H-how?" she managed to choke out.

Karasuba still stood with one hand grasping her blade raised at the side, parallel with the ground. She frowned slightly before bringing the blood soaked blade down into view, grey eyes tracing the glittering red globules with the faintest of interest. "How?" she repeated, but seemingly not for Yahan's sake. "I was aiming for your head. Your plan was so obvious, I knew I could take it even if you had stayed hidden inside those shadows."

Her dark eyes widening even as her vision dimmed, Yahan stared dumbly at the trembling hand that still held tight to her precious dagger, but refused to respond. If Karasuba had been trying to kill her, too, then how was she still alive? Then it occurred to her.

" _Your power still needs some adjustments,_ " Takami Sahashi had said around a cigarrate, red lips grumbling all the while. " _Like you are now, your power is likely to fail you in the middle of a battle. Maybe even stop working completely._ "

A feeling almost approaching laughter building in her gut, Yahan let out a pained groan as her knees gave out, her body toppling over, before she landed on her back. She sighed, looking up into the dim lighting above. "How's that for irony?" she gasped. "I'm only alive because my power is too unstable to work right."

Karasuba did not seem to find humor in it, merely shrugging. "No matter," she dismissed it easily. "One swing or two, you'll still be dead."

"What about taking me back to MBI?"

"After all the trouble you've put me through tonight?" asked Karasuba lightly. "No, I think I'd rather just kill you right here."

"Guess I can't stop you," mumbled Yahan in resignation, her vision fading and all consciousness leaving her. At least she was able to see it one last time; that city in moonlight.

Stalking over to her beaten foe, Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba stared down at the bleeding girl with empty eyes. "Really," she sighed, her glinting nodachi at the side of the fallen girl's neck. "This isn't how I pictured my first battle in the Sekirei Plan going."

"Then don't let it end like this," urged Takami Sahashi from behind her, her prematurely grayed hair casting her face in shadows in the dim lighting. She had come as soon as MBI cameras had seen the fight start and had only just made it in time.

"Do you expect to stop me?" challenged Karasuba, not turning to face her.

"I can't, not really," she admitted before appealing to the other woman's battle lust. "But No. 57 has a unique ability. Are you telling me you don't want to face her at her full strength? Ashikabi, Norito, and all?"

Karasuba seemed to find humor in the idea, her eyes closing and an easy smile gracing her lips. "I can't say I'm not tempted," she allowed with a shrug and a laugh. "And my Ashikabi-chan did say to bring her to you so I guess I'm done for now." Without another word, the woman flicked the blood from her sword with ease in one motion before sheathing it in the next; her light gray pony tail chasing after her retreating back.

It was only after bandaging the bleeding No. 57 and long after Karasuba had gone, that Takami Sahashi realized what the other woman had said. Karasuba's Ashikabi?

"Does that mean LL-san is back?"

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Teito Tower, Shinto Teito:**

" _This evening in sports…_ " **Click**.

"… _for your chance to win a fabulous vacation to…_ " **Click**.

" _Omae wa mou… shindeiru…_ "

"Damn," grimaced Haihane, a frown pulling at her lips. "That's a good episode, but I've already seen it." Careful not to break another remote with her clawed hands, she pressed the channel button of the remote again. **Click**.

"… _for three low payments of…_ " **Click**. Even crouched as she was on her favorite sofa, Sekirei _No. 104_ , Haihane, could not keep the weary sigh from leaving her. Her narrow eyes gazing up at the massive television, the so called Blue Sekirei of the Disciplinary Squad was flipping frantically through every-one of the MBI special package of channels; more than 100,000 different channels and…

" _Weather forecast for tonight is…_ " **Click**. She still could not find it.

" _Who else could have done it!? And come this far? Would they have kept going!?_ " … **Click**!

A strangled sop at the back of her throat, the bandaged Haihane tried to keep the tears from forming in her eyes. "So many good shows I'm missing!" she lamented, but continued searching every channel for the program she wanted. It had to be here somewhere…

"Haihane!" screamed a familiar voice behind her, followed shortly by a sharp kick powerful enough blow the door off its hinges. Entering the room of her fellow Disciplinary Squad member, Sekirei _No. 105_ , Benitsubasa was the picture of pent-up frustration and rage as she stood amidst the destroyed door-frame. Her voice came in strangled rasps, such was her vehemence, "Where the hell are you!?"

It spoke volumes of No. 105's temperament that even in the face of this unbridled rage, Haihane's voice was barely a whisper of apathy: "Here…"

" _MBI stock value continues to rise…_ " **Click**.

Stomping across the room and only barely restraining herself from kicking out the sofa from beneath her co-worker, Benitsubasa began clenching her fists. The close combat-type Sekirei resisting the urge to beat the disheveled and silver haired girl. "What are you doing, Haihane! No. 57 got loose and we are supposed to catch her!"

"Don't wanna…" whined Haihane petulantly, her lip jutting out slight. "I'm trying to find it…"

" _You're the father…_ " **Click**.

A tick mark appearing on her forehead, the so called Red Sekirei seethed through clenched teeth, saying, "I don't care about your damn anime! We're the Disciplinary Squad! We're supposed to—"

"Found it!" cheered Haihane suddenly, interrupting the other girl.

" _I am…_ _ **Zero**_ _…_ " announced the world famous masked figure, one black clothed hand clenching around a podium while the other gestured dramatically at his side. " _A rebel against oppressors who abuse their power and a defender of those too weak to fight for themselves!_ "

While Haihane was the picture of the excited fan girl, Benitsubasa let out an anguished groan. "Oh, not this joker again!" she grumbled. "Haihane, why do you care so much about this ridiculous human?"

Her eyes never leaving the screen, No. 104 answered, "Because he's just so cool! Like a real-life character from one of my shows! That mask makes him look like a Sunrise character and…" She traced the flourish of his hands with her eyes, the dramatic twist of his wrist. "Those moves make him look like a CLAMP protag!"

" _Even after these long years without war, tragedy still lives among us!_ " Zero was saying, a sweeping gesturing at his side. " _Poverty and starvation, sickness and disease! In our hard fought peace, we cast our eyes from those suffering even now!_ " His faceless visage, hidden behind a mask, bore into every soul watching, and even Benitsubasa found herself unable to hold that gaze. " _We of the Blacks Knights fight to protect the peoples of the world! But in these long years, war is at an end! Peace has prevailed! Why, then, should weapons of war be our focus? Why, then, should violence be our only call to action?_

" _Chairwoman Kaguya Sumaragi of the UFN Supreme Council has put forward a motion to reduce spending for the Black Knights,_ " Zero explained, a casual brush of his hand. " _And many have asked me if I will accept this. Some have gone so far as to ask if 'Zero, sole commander and the CEO of the Black Knights has too much power' in these times of peace._ "

Bringing a hand to the helmet known the world-over by one name, Zero said, " _This mask is a symbol! Not of violence and war, but of justice! So the question that should be asked is this: is this request just? …I have come tonight to say it is. Henceforth, the Black Knights will no-longer be the simple military arm of the UFN! We will dedicate our strength not only to upholding the peace of this world, but to sustaining it! Wherever people suffer, whether from war or poverty, we shall appear!_ "

In the next motion, Zero clasped a hand around the famous blade at his side before lifting it up to the world. It was a seemingly ornamental sword, with a golden blade and beset by amethyst gems, and had once been wielded by Emperor Lelouch at the height of his reign. Yet Zero had stolen it one day only to plunge it into the chest of loathed Demon Emperor the next. " _This sword,_ " began Zero almost reverently. " _Represents both the past evils of this world, and the future joys not yet to come! And I, Zero, promise you this: so long as I have a say, this world will know justice! You will have the future!_ "

As the assembled crowd around him began to chant his name – Zero, Zero, Zero! – Haihane began lifting her clawed hand into the air in tandem, her voice joining with theirs. Benitsubasa said nothing, merely watching the spectacle of the elaborately dressed masked man leading a crowd of fans, only to narrowly avoid the whistling blade at her side. Quickly dodging to the side, the Red Sekirei watched as a long blade impaled itself on the wide television screen; the tip seemingly piercing the visage of Zero before it all went black.

Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba, made no other motions after throwing her nodachi through the screen, merely standing in the ruined door-way with her eyes closed.

"No, Zero-sama!" cried Haihane pitifully, an overly dramatic sob issuing forth. Tears welling in her eyes, No. 104 asked, "Why, Karasuba-san? Why?"

"Oh, no reason really," lied the head of the Disciplinary Squad evenly, her eyes opening slightly as she added, "Besides, shouldn't you two be off chasing down run-away Sekirei?"

Haihane seemed to wilt under the piercing gray eyes, but Benitubasa was far from quelled. Stepping in front of the other girl, she scoffed. "You've sure got a lot of room to talk, Karasuba! You've been missing all day, ever since your meeting with the president! We were just about to catch that run-away now!" Once she caught that run-away, it would prove she was better than Karasuba and then…

"What I do with my time is hardly any concern of yours, No. 105," said the older Sekirei, the warning in her tone obvious. "And I've already dealt with No. 57." Even through closed eyes, No. 04 still managed to spare the red themed Sekirei a condescending look that only served to infuriate her more.

"Yeah, well what do I care!?" she cried petulantly. "You may be the head of the Disciplinary Squad, but we all know you're not even on our side! Natsuo-sama is the Ashikabi of the Disciplinary Squad!" Even in a situation like this, just the mere mention of her Ashikabi caused a flush to spread across Benitsubasa's cheeks. Haihane might have shared the same Ashikabi, but she only slumped down out of sight at her words. "You shouldn't even be allowed here, you traitor!"

"Really, Benitsubasa, that's not necessary," said a calm voice, Natsuo Ichinomiya entering the room with a soft smile. He wore a pressed black suit and tie with a pure white shirt underneath and well-kept brown hair, a brown folder tucked underneath his arm. "No. 04 is a valued member of the Disciplinary Squad despite her affiliation elsewhere."

Instantly, Benitsubasa's entire demeanor changed; where once she was angry, she was now elated. The normally aggressive No. 105 suddenly the picture of subservient as she said, "Of course, Natsuo-sama, whatever you say!" Haihane, now recovered, laughed loudly at the change in her co-worker and fellow Sekirei.

Karasuba scoffed at this, but said nothing as she retrieved her nodachi from the wall. Before she could turn to leave, however, a voice stopped her. "One moment of your time, Karasuba-san," said Natsuo, holding his hand up. When No. 04 made no move to leave, he continued, "I just came from a meeting with President Minaka and he wanted me to give you this." Thus spoken, he presented the manila folder he was carrying to her.

Her expression unchanging, she asked, "Oh, and are these my new orders from the company?"

Surprisingly, he said, "No, they are a list of all the currently active Ashikabi in the Sekirei Plan as well as their current number of Sekirei." The exact thing LL had wanted her to get, not that Natsuo seemed to know that. "Apparently, the president thought you would be interested in this information after getting back from your personal day. Something about it being less trouble this way."

Karasuba seemed to smile thinly at his words, but accepted them all the same. "Good, this saves the extra effort," she laughed mildly, but did not elaborate as she began to leave. Benitsubasa and Haihane sent her suspicious looks, but they said nothing. Their Ashikabi-

"Your Ashikabi must be something special, Karasuba-san," said Natsuo casually. "I don't think I've ever seen you in such a good mood before. I'm looking forward to meeting him."

"Oh, you will," replied the First Sekirei vaguely, a backward wave over her shoulder as she left.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2018**

**Kyoto, Imperial Crown Colony of Japan:**

The 99th Emperor of Britannia and sole ruler of the world, Lelouch vi Britannia, sat atop his throne in muted shock.

In the constant march of time, he had sought a means to reach the future. He had considered every variable, every possible step along the way to the world of the future. He had asked himself: how? The Zero Requiem had been his answer to that question. Using the Power of Kings and his own mind, he knew it could be done and everything had gone according to his elaborate strategy. He held the world in his hand, the reigns of the past and present gripped tightly in his fists, and all that was left was to move forward. All that was left was to die and end the cycle of hate and violence.

That was when he met her. The young girl who gripped his collar so tightly her hands turned pale, the girl who pressed the whole of her weight against him, and the girl whose lips were still firmly pressed against his own. It was not an act of love - not only did Lelouch not even know who this girl was, surely she was also too young to really understand the concept. But, in that kiss, he felt a surge of passion; not of lust, but drive. It was a feeling he remembered faintly; from when he first obtained his Geass, from when he first founded the Black Knights, from when he first decided he would not merely accept his fate as the forgotten prince of Britannia…

The burning sensation behind his brilliant crimson eyes, consumed by Geass, had fallen; the feeling moving downward to the base of his throat and maybe still further down to his rapidly beating heart still so full of life. Rather than frighten or bewilder him, he welcomed that feeling; of being alive in a world he was doomed to die for. It gave him a sense of weightlessness, of freedom, of boundless flight, and maybe…

Maybe that was why he saw wings.

They were long and jagged in shape, more like chipped bone than feathers, and their color was the darkest he had ever seen. Like staring deep into a the void he had no way of pulling himself from, Lelouch found himself captivated by their arc and slope and memorized every pattern. He did not know when the feeling pressing against his lips retracted, but he knew when he heard those words:

" _This is the blade of my pledge, exterminate of the sworn enemy of my Ashikabi_!" The girl's words seemed to have even greater meaning than a simple oath; the wings of darkness surging in response and seemingly about to take flight. When next she spoke, it was a faint whisper: "I am Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba, and you will be my Ashikabi, now and forevermore…"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get to see a little how the Sekirei world (but especially Karasuba) has been changed, but also how it stays the same. We get some new characters, our first fight, Haihane gets to be a little meta, I get to indulge my addiction for pointless references, and we get our first LL/Karasuba interaction. All and all, a very fun chapter to write even if it did turn out nearly twice the length of the first.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and feel free to share any thoughts, questions, or kudos.


	3. Turn Three: The Scrapped Number

**Turn Three:** _The Scrapped Number_

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2020**

**Kamikura Island, United States of Japan:**

"It isn't working, doctor! Heart rate is nearly forty over! We need to do something!"

There was a bright light above her, the examination lamp; she tried to focus on that. It didn't work.

"Give her the injection!"

There was a rapid beeping sound, the rate of her heart; she tried to count the beats. It didn't work.

A stab, a plunge. "It didn't work."

"Well, give her another one!"

There were some people talking beside her, the adjusters trying to control the power; she tried to focus on their words. It didn't work, and she was losing it.

"But, doctor, that could—" The MBI researcher recoiled as though he had been struck, tumbling backwards and into a collection of monitors amidst a flurry of icy wind. His breath coming out as steamed vapor, he choked, "Oh, no… she's…" Whatever else he was going to say was smothered out as a thin sheet of frost began to creep around the room. It started around the operating table and spread around the room without apparent direction or cause. On one side, it completely encased the heart rate monitor in a block of ice; on the other, it crept up the walls and tried to consume the spot lamps.

"No. 07 has lost control!" shouted the other doctor, a billow of steam issuing forth as he spoke. "We need to sedate her!" He rushed over to the nearby surgical tray and, after breaking apart the thin layer of ice there with a surgical dish, took hold of the needle. Instrument in hand, he then turned to his subject; the ever expanding sheet of ice had already covered almost her entire body. The one area left exposed was her face and neck.

Moving to her side, needle in hand and poised for the neck, the doctor tried to inject the young girl. "Please, don't…" her voice pleaded, wide eyes shaking as she looked up at him. He said nothing, merely approaching the trapped girl, but as he tried to insert the pointed needle of his instrument he was met with a thick layer of ice.

"Damn it!" he seethed, a look a fury and frustration overcoming his features. "Do you wanna die, you stupid girl!?"

"I—I don't…" she tried to speak, but her chest hurt. The thin layer of ice keeping her pinned was growing, turning into a slate thicker than her arms, and the weight was pressing down on her. " _H_ - _help_ …" she cried, frozen tears trapped on her face as the sheet grew to cover her face.

The doctor gazed down on the girl trapped in an icy coffin of her own making, terror and desperation welling up in her face as she struggled in vain against the power she could not control and the sheer weight of her conjured ice. "Somebody get me a drill and a saw!" he screamed out, his mind a flurry of thoughts. "We have to cut her ou—"

"What do you think you're doing!" demanded a voice in the door-way. "There's ice pouring down the hall and…" The new arrival surveyed the room in a glance, moving from the floored doctor desperately trying to free himself from the ice holding his leg, to the mound of ice trapping a child, before finally settling on the doctor too scared to move. "Dr. Taniguchi," his voice seemed to chill, lowering the temperature of the room faster than even the ice had. "What have you done?"

Dr. Ryusei Taniguchi's face went white. "Deputy Director LL," he greeted fearfully. "W-we were trying to stabilize No. 07 and—"

"She wasn't scheduled for any operations today!" LL practically shouted, jumping over a sudden surge of ice as he quickly moved to the side of the entrapped Sekirei. "Akitsu-chan!" he called out to the girl inside, her movements frantic. Her breath was coming in sharp gasps now; she was almost out of air. "Listen to me, Akitsu-chan! Remember what I told you! Don't let your power control you!"

She must have heard him because the violently thrashing Sekirei seemed to still; eyes frosted with unshed and frozen tears blinking desperately up into the easy smile and imploring faux-blue eyes above her. Placing a hand onto the mound between them, LL said, "You're better than this, Akitsu-chan! You can control this, but you need to be calm! Collected!"

A shutter seemed to wrack her tiny body, but she tried to nod her assent at his words. Her eyes clenching shut and drowning out all the world save for the words of encouragement from LL, the young No. 07 willed herself to be calm. To be free. She tried to reach out to the ice around her; she tried to will the ice around her away. "That's it, Akitsu-chan," he praised, the ice receding from the room around them. Some evaporating on the spot, others melting into frigid pools. Emboldened by his praise, she willed herself to be better. To be worthy. To be—

The mound gave away in a sudden down pour of water, flooding the surgical lab and drenching everyone inside, revealing the naked little girl that had been trapped within. Heedless of this, LL immediately moved to grab hold of No. 07's trembling hands, his long and narrow fingers tightening around the shivering hands of the young girl, his other hand wiping away the matted brown hair off her brow. "Well done, Akitsu-chan," he praised, smiling happily down at the girl still gasping for breath.

" _L-_ LL-sama," she chocked, anxious to say his name even as her lungs hurt to breathe and her cheeks flushed with warmth. "I-I'm sorry, I—"

"You've done nothing to apologize for, Akitsu-chan," he denied, his hand stroking through wet locks. Casting a glance over his shoulder, he said, "Taniguchi, go get some dry towels and fresh clothes for her."

"R-right, Deputy Director," stammered Dr. Taniguchi, anxious himself to get as far away from here as possible before he attracted anymore attention. No doubt, as soon as the girl was treated, he would be in a fight for his life and job…

As Dr. Taniguchi fled the room, LL smiled down at the now seated girl bundled up inside his lab coat; her nose turning bright red as he held it with a piece of tissue paper and urged her to blow. Thoughts of comforting her and maiming Taniguchi in equal measure. "You're safe now, Akitsu-chan," he said comfortingly, his hand patting her small head. "I'm right here for you…"

Sekirei _No. 07_ , Akitsu, smiled brightly up at him without a care in the world; her cheeks were flushed with joy at being near him and at the feeling of safety his presence brought. She had never been happier.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Examination Room #3, 13** **th** **Floor, Teito Tower, Shinto Teito:**

Vacant and cold eyes stared out into the world; like chipped away pieces of glass merely reflecting the bright lights of the city below. If only she could…

"No. 07, _No. 07_ …" repeated the man across from her, pulling the attention of those eyes from the window and into the here, the now. "You need to pay attention, No. 07. I have some questions for you…"

Never one to volunteer information readily, or even speak more than necessary, Akitsu merely nodded her head slightly, a soft "ah" sound her only vocal response. Dr. Ryusei Taniguchi, the deputy director of all Sekirei adjustments for MBI, frowned at her lack of response, but said nothing else on the matter. "Your adjustments have been less than satisfactory lately, No. 07," he began evenly, his hands methodically flipping between a bundle of papers in his hand. "There have been five incidents this week alone; well above the one average previously. Ice creeping up the wall, mysterious and unexplained puddles of water…"

He fixed her with an expectant look, likely an implication for her to answer or explain. Akitsu nodded mutely. Sighing, he asked, "Has anything abnormal been going on? I suppose winter will be coming up soon, maybe that—"

"Dreams…" said Akitsu distantly, her expressionless face staring back at him blankly.

"Dreams, No. 07?" he pressed, surprised by the voluntary response.

"Dreams," she repeated, nodding slightly. At his insistence, she elaborated, "Every night for the past week, I dream."

"Dreams in-and-of themselves are nothing note-worthy," dismissed Dr. Taniguchi with a frown. "But the past week specifically… Is it the same dream?" She nodded mutely. "What is the dream about?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but found herself hesitant to answer. It seemed too personal; like it was something that only belonged to her and she had no desire to share. But Dr. Taniguchi did not seem intent on allowing her any privacy because he urged her to answer. "I dream of him…" answered Akitsu at last, a flush spreading across her ordinarily pale skin.

Dr. Taniguchi's frown dipped even lower. Even though he already suspected, he asked, "Of whom, No. 07?"

"LL-sama," she said respectfully, her reddening face turning away from the doctor to stare once more out the window. She had been doing that a lot the past week, too. "We're in an empty room. He sits with me, talks to me, pats my head, and…"

"That's quite enough, No. 07," interrupted the doctor sternly. Akitsu did not look at him, but she knew he was upset. "While sex dreams are to be expected,"—she tried to deny that; her and LL-sama had never—"Any dream about… _that_ _man_ should be discouraged." She knew that Dr. Taniguchi had never liked LL; had always known the feeling was mutual. She did not know that LL had tried repeatedly to have the doctor removed from the company; an effort repeatedly thwarted by President Minaka.

" _That_ _man_ ," continued Dr. Taniguchi, still unwilling to say the name. "Should never have been allowed around any Sekirei. Any Ashikabi that has already triggered an emergence in a Sekirei has an increased likelihood to trigger a reaction in another." Akitsu knew this; he had told her numerous times, after each time she mentioned LL's name. "The reaction you feel for _that_ _man_ is involuntary; the result of circumstances when you were a child. Any lingering feelings you have for him are a lie, and—"

"They're not a lie," she said coldly, her voice dropping to a whisper. She refused to look at him, refused to look away from the city outside, but her words were resolute: "He is my Ashikabi."

Dr. Taniguchi's frown deepened, but he did not deny that. "While it is true there has never been a case of a Sekirei responding to multiple people, it is still likely…"

"He is my Ashikabi," she repeated stoically; like it was the one fact in the world of which she was certain. As a Sekirei, it very well might be.

"Fine, No. 07," he sighed, setting down his papers before stapling his fingers. "But you must admit that it has been years. That man is probably gone by now and he has no reason to return…"

"No," denied Akitsu. "There's still Onee-sama. She didn't leave." It hurt, sometimes, to think that her Ashikabi had left her. She understood why, but… At least Karasuba-sama was still here; proof that he would come back someday. He might leave Akitsu, who was not yet his Sekirei, but he would never leave Karasuba, who bore his mark. That is what Akitsu thought and that was what gave her hope.

"Your relationship with No. 04 aside," he seemed tired now, likely very annoyed. "We should really be—No. 07, what are you looking at?"

Akitsu blinked one, twice; she did not turn to face him, but she did answer honestly: "I don't know." Her eyes were staring out the window; night had just fallen and the dimly lit streets below offered a view of the various humans going about their lives. Many of the Sekirei, who had spent most of their life confined either on Kamikura Island or here in Teito Tower, would often take to observing the crowds below. Akitsu had never shown such an inclination before, yet in the past week…

She would catch herself looking, of glancing out any and all windows into the outside world. She did not care for the busy streets or the beautiful day and night skies. What always seemed to catch her attention were the buildings around the tower, and if she traced her eyes across them long enough she would… _**Thump**_. She would feel it; that lurch in her chest. For the Sekirei of Ice to feel such a rush of heat, for her heart to pound so deeply in her chest, she knew he must be out there; her Ashikabi, LL-sama.

 _ **Thump-**_ _ ** _ **Thump**_.**_ It was that one, she decided, looking out to see a tall building rising up into the sky. It did not reach the height of Teito Tower, nothing else in the city did, but if that was where… She felt her feet move slightly, felt her hands reach out towards the window. If she could only…

"No. 07," started Dr. Taniguchi, snapping her from her thoughts. Akitsu turned to face him and at once the feeling died in her breast; the rising heat was replaced by the emptiness she had known in every moment her Ashikabi was not there to chase it away. Dr. Ryusei Taniguchi frowned deeply at her expressionless face, his eyes darting from the seated Sekirei to the window briefly, but a light of understanding seemed to catch in his eyes. Followed shortly by a look of tightly controlled panic.

"N-No. 07," he tried again faintly, her muted "ah" the only reply. "You mentioned these dreams you've been having… The last week you said?" She nodded. "And this fixation with the window…" He mumbled something to himself faintly, but her advanced Sekirei hearing could still distinctly hear the words "reaction" and "returned" mixed in. For a few moments he seemed to war with himself, seemingly at odds with himself, before finally seeming pleased. "No. 07, I think I've finally thought of a way to help you stabilize your power."

She may not have spoken, but there was a sudden interest in her cold gaze. If she could stabilize her power, she could leave and…

"I had wanted to complete some additional tests before using this," Dr. Taniguchi was saying mildly. "But despite your recent relapses, I think you've shown some tremendous improvements. You might be ready. Even today." Never before had the doctor received the undivided attention of this particular Sekirei. "However, you need to be willing to listen, okay? If all goes as I predict, this may very well be your final adjustment. If you listen, you might be able to see your Askikabi soon. Can you do that for me?"

"Ah… Yes." To see her Ashikabi again, she would do anything.

Dr. Taniguchi smiled at her, something he had never done before. Gesturing to the nearby operating table, he said, "Then please disrobe and lie down for me." The doctor stood in a burst of energy very unlike the usually stiff man, but Akitsu complied easily. She wore what all Sekirei still undergoing adjustments usually wore; a blank white or grey surgical smock. Pulling away the garment to reveal her bare flesh and ample chest, Akitsu laid down on the metal operating table; her nerves a rare bundle of excitement.

The doctor watched all this with the detached air of a scientist. He had been recruited from one of the United States of China's premier medical institutes by President Minaka himself. Although still relatively young, being only thirty-three, Dr. Ryusei Taniguchi was already the deputy director of MBI's most advanced research department, dealing with Sekirei personally. For a man like Dr. Taniguchi, the Sekirei were the ultimate challenge. Why waste his life trying to cure one of the hundreds of diseases that could kill any human when he could tamper with the very genetic structure of a being who could hurl fire-balls or cut a building in half?

No. 07 had presented the greatest challenge of all. While the former director, Takehito Asama, had proven his skill in adjusting the First Five, Sekirei No. 01 through No. 05, and _that man_ had over-seen the adjustments of the Second Five, No. 06 through No. 10, neither had been able to resolve No. 07's problems. She was the greatest challenge of them all, and if he could do it; if he could…

Stepping to the side of the table, Dr. Taniguchi smiled down at her, needle already in hand. "This will put you to sleep," he explained gently, the injection hovering over her veins. "And by the time you wake up, you'll be perfect, No. 07."

"Ah, thank you, doctor," she said tiredly, the plunger already going in.

"My pleasure, No. 07…"

Sekirei _No. 07_ , Akitsu, felt a sudden weight begin to pull at her eye-lids. Knowing what was to come, she accepted it, the blackness; she would sleep, then awaken in a world whole and completed. She would find her Ashikabi, find her master, and then…

" _I'm sorry, Akitsu-chan, but I-_ " she could hear him say. But how? She had been in the lab, she was asleep, unless… " _I'm sorry, Akitsu-chan, but I have to go away for a while._ "

" _Ah… Let me go with you!_ " cried the younger Akitsu, her tiny fists whitened from clenching his lab coat so hard, her eyes moist with unshed tears. " _I… I can…_ "

" _Quiet now,_ " LL smiled gently, his long arms surrounding her smaller frame. " _You need to stay here and get better. When you can control your powers, we can talk then._ "

" _B-but why?_ " she pleaded.

LL's smile dimmed, his features hardening into a grimace. " _There was an accident,_ " he said eventually, teeth clenched. " _One of the other Sekirei, she was killed. She was scrapped,_ " he spat out the words. " _And it's all my fault._ "

" _But you're my Ashikabi!_ " she tried to reason, heart beating frantically in his presence, desperate to keep him from leaving. " _How will—_ "

" _There is still so much about the Sekirei we don't know yet,_ " he began sadly. " _Maybe I am your Ashikabi, but maybe not…_ "

" _No! It is you!_ "

" _You're still so young…_ " he sighed, pulling away from her. When she moved to grab him again, LL placed his hands on her shoulders and forced her to look at him. His brilliant amethyst meeting her shaking blue, he said, " _When you get older, when your power stabilizes,_ " he hesitated, his voice wavering. " _I'll accept your choice; I'll be your Ashikabi._ " No matter what she said, no matter how many promises she made, he refused to back down. He was still going to leave.

" _Karasuba-san will be staying,_ " he offered as consolation.

" _Karasuba-sama?_ " she repeated; the older Sekirei had never really spoken to her before, but she often followed LL around.

" _Yes, she'll stay and guard all the other Sekirei in my absence,_ " he explained. " _And she'll protect you, too. You can think of her as your big sister._ "

" _Karasuba-sama? Onee-sama?_ " she tested the words; as both her senior and her Ashikabi's first, it seemed an appropriate title. LL smiled down at her, wiping away the lingering tears in her eyes, and stood. " _Will you come back soon?_ " she asked before he could leave.

LL nodded easily. " _I promise, Akitsu-chan,_ " he said. " _So don't cry for me until I get back._ "

She mad her promise, and then he was gone; fading away from not only the memory, but the dream around her. The smaller Akitsu had also faded, only to be replaced by the much older one of today, and even as the world faded to white she refused to cry. She had promised, after all.

"I'm so sorry it took so long, Akitsu-chan," said the voice behind her. She did not need to look; she know it was her Ashikabi, LL-sama. He had not changed at all since that day, but she had. She was older now, her hair was longer, her figure more developed. She had grown up and… "You've gone through so much hardship."

"Ah…" she tried to say, her voice oddly faint. She did not know if this was another dream or… "But I didn't cry."

"No, you didn't," smiled LL happily. "And you've grown up so much. I'm so proud of you, Akitsu-chan."

If he was proud of her, and if he had accepted her, then… "Does that mean you'll now be my Ashika—" she tried to speak, to beg him, but the words died in her throat. She felt a searing pain in her mind, in her body, in her very being; like a scalpel cutting into her soul, maiming it. She dropped to her knees in the white void around her, her hands wrapping her skull, a strangled scream choked on her lips… She wanted to cry, to beg for release, but she had promised her Ashikabi…

"Akitsu-chan! _Akitsu-chan! Akit-_ "

She could hear his voice, the voice of her master, but it was growing distant. She thought she felt his hands on her shoulders, but they were left bare. She thought she heard him call out to her, but there was only silence.

Akitsu was alone and for the very first time since meeting him, she could not feel her Ashikabi with her. Even when he was gone, even without his mark, she could feel a faint sensation pulling her in his direction, and now…

Akitsu felt completely, utterly… alone.

And she screamed…

Her heart felt empty, her mind was in pain, and her body ached all over; she could feel the tingling sensation of multiple needle marks, the faint pains of incisions in her body. There was a lurch in her gut, like something had been moved, and there was a searing itch and burn on her forehead. Desperate to escape it all, Akitsu found herself tumbling off the metal operating table only to land in a heap of sore limbs.

She made no notice of this, her hands reaching up to scratch at the aching pain on her skull… It hurt, like a knife had been plunged inside her head, but the worst of it was the emptiness around it. There was a numbing chill that enveloped her entire body, weighted down her every action, and even as the Sekirei of Ice, she had never been so cold.

"It's not my fault, it's not my fault…" then she heard it, the frantic pleas. Her mind trembling from the effort, Akitsu looked up to see Dr. Taniguchi staring mindlessly up at the ceiling. "I did everything right, so it can't be my fault…"

"D-doctor," she tried to speak, her voice sounding rough and hoarse. How long had she been screaming? "M-my head…"

"How was I supposed to know…" he mumbled, either ignoring her pleas or too lost to care. "It's definitely not my fault. I did everything right."

"My head hurts…" she tried to stand, a hand moving to balance her on shaking legs as she pulled herself up. "I… I can't feel…" Anything… "My Ashikabi…"

"She'll have to be scrapped, discarded… Tossed away," he laughed then, the sound burgeoning close to hysterics. "Just like _that man_ , I'll have to leave. She's not the first to be scrapped. I'll have to answer for this… But why!? It's not my fault!"

"Dr. Taniguchi," she tried again, her voice no more than a whisper. "I can't feel my Ashikabi."

He seemed to notice her now; his blank eyes meeting her. "Your Ashikabi…" he repeated dumbly, the twist of his lips like a jagged smile. "Don't be stupid, girl, you don't have an Ashikabi…"

"B-but I do, he's…"

"Stupid girl…" he laughed. "You're broken. Useless. Nobody would want you now…" He laughed again, tapping his forehead like that explained everything.

Akitsu did not know what to do; the dull throbbing in her head was clearing, but she still could not sense the faintest trace of her Ashikabi. Dr. Taniguchi said she was broken, but… Unconsciously, she brought a hand to her forehead; it was rougher than she had remembered it ever being before, like dead skin. She tried to scratch it away, yet the feeling remained. She scratched more, until she felt steaming blood touch her fingers. "What...?" she wondered aloud, staring at the blood numbly.

"She's scrap now, nothing more than scrap…" Dr. Taniguchi was saying. "Probably have to be terminated now, no use for her anymore…"

Akitsu pushed herself away from the table, her mind desperate to understand, and rushed for the window. Angling her head so she could see, she tried to catch the reflective panes of the glass, tried to see her forehead… Akitsu had always been very pale, even for her fellow Sekirei; she had always been proud of it, not only because it made her unique, but because it was something she had in common with her future Ashikabi, LL-sama. But this…

It was red; a vibrant shade that stood out harshly against her pale brow. There was the motif of a bird suspended over a symbol and framed by two etched marks; it was the crest of a Sekirei. Often had she dreamed of this symbol, of the joys it would bring her… To be marked by her Ashikabi, to wear his mark with pride and joy. She had once asked Karasuba-sama to see her mark, and No. 04 had obliged; revealing the typical black and white crest on her back all emerged Sekirei wore. No-one had a mark on their forehead, especially without it being placed there by an Ashikabi…

"You're broken, defective…" Dr. Taniguchi said. "That's why you couldn't control your power, you were broken."

"My… my Ashikabi…" she said with shaking tones.

"You'll never have an Ashikabi," snapped Taniguchi angrily. "It's not my fault! I did everything right! It has to be you! You're defective, that's the only answer!"

It was her fault? Was that why her master had left, because he had known? He had mentioned scrapped then, too. Akitsu was shaking, she wanted to collapse where she stood and cry, but more than anything she wanted to see him again. The man who was supposed to have been her Ashikabi, if she had not been broken.

"I'll be fired, I bet," Taniguchi was still mumbling. "Director Sahashi won't stand for this, not after what happened to No. 08… How will I…" He stilled then, his entire being focusing on the woman trapped in her own reflection. "It's _you_ ," he seethed, jumping up from his chair. "If only you would just disappear, everything would be over! You're defective, broken! You probably can't even user your powers now!"

Without further warning, he rushed for the trembling Akitsu, his hands wrapping around her throat. "It's your fault!" he screamed. "You're broken! Just scrap!"

She did not move to fight him, did not resist as his hand closed around her neck and squeezed. If her master had abandoned her because she was defective, what right did she have to live? Yet, as she felt her throat close up, as she felt her haggard breathes come to her slower and slower, she heard him…

" _Akitsu!_ " Her master called for her.

"Ah…" she tried to speak, to respond, but could not form the words. Then she felt it; her power as a Sekirei. "Ah… Ahhhh!" All around her, hundreds of shards of ice appeared; each glinting in the lighting of the room and every one of them thicker than her arm. She needed to find him, to hear him say it… Then she could die, if that was his wish. She sent the shards around her, piercing every corner of the room. The operating table was broken in half, the doctor's desk impaled, the walls destroyed.

There was a scream of pain outmatched only by the destruction of the entire pane of window behind her. Ryusei Taniguchi had no time to react; he felt the temperature drop, saw the shards of ice form, and was struck all in the same instant. The shard pierced through his chest, his heart giving a final burst of effort that spurted out around him aimlessly, but he was already died before he hit the wall. Akitsu blinked apathetically at the death of the MBI scientist, his blood spraying across her cheek and exposed chest.

Mechanically, she grabbed one of the nearby hanging shirts to cover herself with, but her mind was focused entirely on the city outside. She had felt it earlier, the heat and urge to find her master, but she had not followed it. She knew he was here, somewhere in the city, and she thought she knew where to find him.

The former Sekirei _No. 07_ , Akitsu, leapt out the window.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Mikogami House, Shinto Teito:**

Sekirei _No. 05_ , Mutsu, sat atop the window sill, leaning against the adjacent wall; one knee pulled up to his chest, a katana balanced on his shoulder. His pale eyes watching the passing world outside, he frowned slightly as the sky darkened. It was getting late…

"You know, Mutsu," said Hayato Mikogami from his seat across the room. "Everybody always talks about either _Six_ or _Seven_ being the best in this series, but I really think _Five_ is an unrecognized master-piece." He was smiling now, nose almost pressed against the screen of his hand-held game device.

"Hmm…" considered Mutsu, trying to remember. "That's the one with the evil tree, right? And… something about a magic splinter?" He had never played any of his Ashikabi's games before, but the boy had a way of talking about his interests. By this point, Mutsu could probably recount the whole game's story from memory.

Something about his reply must have upset the boy because Mikogami let out an over-dramatic sigh. "Don't put it like that," he grumbled. "It makes it sound so silly. Really, Mutsu, these are very interesting games. You should give them a try!" He raised his eyes up; they were glittering in open anticipation. Mutsu would not succumb.

"No thanks," he pointedly avoided the fifteen year old's gaze.

"Really, you should try— _Oh, no!_ " he suddenly screamed, his fingers tapping away frantically at his device before giving a resigned cry of defeat. "Damn it! The boss killed me again! I know he's weak to earth, so maybe I can…" He trailed off then, his gaze drifting back over to his Sekirei in open consideration.

"Just because my power can cause quakes doesn't mean I can beat your games for you…" sighed Mutsu. Really, why couldn't he have gotten a pretty girl as his Ashikabi? He should never have listened to Takehito Asama and all those lectures about Sekirei and fate. Still, Hayato Mikogami was not that bad. Just a little young… and a boy.

"I think you were doing great, master!" cheered Sekirei _No. 15_ , Himeko, from behind their Ashikabi. Even in her over-sized kimono, the normally demure girl was the picture of enthusiasm; she either really liked these games, or was just trying to share in her Ashikabi's interests. "Just a little more and you would have beat him!"

Mikogami smiled, but slide away shyly. He still was not used to interacting with so many people, especially young girls about his age. Thankfully for him, Mikogami was saved from offering a response when the door to the room was suddenly thrown open. Entering excitedly was another young girl with long brown hair, matching eyes, and wearing a black dress with matching gloves and stockings. A bright red ribbon was tied around her collar, and matched the gleaming scythe balanced on her shoulder.

"Yomi," started Mikogami in surprise. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be watching Teito Tower! How else are we supposed to know when they release the next game expansion?"

"Master," greeted Sekirei _No. 43_ , Yomi happily. "I was doing as you instructed, but I overheard some of the MBI people say the next group of Sekirei to be released was not scheduled until next week."

"Oh, man!" he griped, setting his game down so he could cross his arms and mope. "But I wanted to add more Sekirei to my collection!"

"Oh, master…" pitied Himeko, trying to set a comforting hand on his shoulder. "There's always next week…"

Yomi watched the movement through narrowed eyes, and was more than pleased when their Ashikabi shrugged off the gesture. Himeko looked hurt, but she smiled widely. "Actually, master," Yomi said loudly, earning his attention. "I did over-hear something else. Apparently a special kind of Sekirei just broke out of MBI's labs earlier this evening."

"A special kind?" repeated both Mikogami and Mutsu, for very different reasons; the former as a collector, the latter as a bodyguard.

"Special you say? How are they special?" asked Mikogami, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he fixed the Death Scythe Sekirei with his undivided attention.

Yomi blushed brightly under his attention, answering, "From what I heard, she is really strong. A former Single Number."

"A Single Number! Just like Mutsu! Wow!" gasped Mikogami. "With that kind of power, I'll be unbeatable! I can win this game for sure!"

Always the voice of reason, Mutsu was the one to ask, "What do you mean by former Single Number?"

Yomi glared at him; she had always resented No. 05, not only was he Mikogami's first Sekirei, he was also clearly the favorite. She tried ignoring him, but when Mikogami repeated the question she dutifully replied, "She was apparently deemed too unstable and was officially declared a Scrapped Number."

While Mikogami was busy imagining what such a Sekirei would be like—"Do you think her skin is shiny?"—Mutsu was deep in thought. He had only heard of one Scrapped Number previously and they were also a Single Number, but she had been dead for years now. He knew none of the First Five, those who had served on the First Generation Disciplinary Squad, had been scrapped so that only left the Second Five. No. 06 was a man and No. 09 had been doing fine last he heard, so…

His eyes widening in realization, he hurriedly asked, "What was the Scrapped Number's name? Her number? Even her abilities?"

Taken aback by the normally stoic Sekirei's panic, Mikogami and Yomi were both more than a little surprised. "Mutsu, what has you so concerned?" wondered the former, turning to the later. "Who is this Sekirei?"

With both No. 05 and her Ashikabi's attention on her, Yomi said, "Former Sekirei _No. 07_ , Akitsu… her power is ice, I think."

"Just as I thought…" sighed Mutsu, frowning in thought. "Damn, that it would happen to another of the Second Five…"

"Mutsu, just who is this Scrapped Number?"

Composing himself, Mutsu said evenly, "She was a very unstable Sekirei with little to no control over her powers. She could freeze an entire body solid in seconds." When he saw the rising interest in his Ashikabi's eyes, he added, "If she's been scrapped, that means she is no longer able to be winged. She can't emerge and use her full power. Besides-"

"Besides!?" interrupted Mikogami anxiously, despite the horrified looks on both Himeko's and Yomi's faces behind him. They could not imagine how horrible it would be to not be able to find their Ashikabi.

"That one has already found her Ashikabi," said Mutsu plainly. "And he's not the sort of person we want to be making our enemy this early into the Sekirei Plan." Or ever, if Mutsu had his way, but Mikogami was set on participating in the game so it was bound to happen eventually. Maybe later on they could stand a chance against LL and Karasuba. Who knows? He certainly was not anxious to cross swords with the crazed " _Knight of Zero_ " again.

"But, Mutsu…" his Ashikabi was whining now. "I have to get this Scrapped Number now! She's rare, right!? One of a kind?"

"The second, actually…"

"And even if she found her Ashikabi, she hasn't been winged yet, right? So I can just force her to be mine!"

Despite Hayato Mikogami's confidence, there was an unsteady silence in the room. Mutsu had been the boy's first Sekirei and he had reacted; Yomi was second, and she had reacted; Himeko came after and had also reacted, but the fifth occupant of the room…

Sekirei _No. 65_ , Taki, was a grown woman with an ample chest wearing a very flattering white dress. Her power alone made her a more than valuable addition to their team. The problem was she had not reacted to Mikogami at all when confronted, and it had taken both Mutsu and Yomi to finally catch the Mist Sekirei. Happily obeying Mikogami's instructions afterwards, Yomi had forced the girl to kneel under threat of her scythe while the boy had kissed her.

Mutsu had not been able to bare looking at the sight, had turned away even as the alley they had taken her to was drenched in the brilliant white light of a Sekirei's emergence; of their winging. He kept repeating to himself what Takehito Asama had told him, about how an Ashikabi was a manifestation of fate, and how it was a Sekirei's greatest joy to find their destined Ashikabi. That made it easier, helping Mikogami win this game, but sometimes he could still remember Taki's eyes that night and…

In the present, Taki was seated comfortably on a sofa, some trashy novel in hand. While it was impossible for a Sekirei to change Ashikabi, Mikogami was far from the worst out there. Still, it was telling that her chosen spot was the furthest in the room from Mikogami. Maybe it was with Taki in mind, maybe it was LL, or maybe it was Takehito Asama, but eventually:

"That wouldn't work," said Mutsu distantly. "As a Scrapped Number, Akitsu can no longer be winged; even if she wanted to." Even though she definitely had wanted to, at least a few years back when he had left MBI. "Even if we capture her, even if you did try to wing her, it wouldn't change anything. She'd just run away first chance she got."

"Still, it seems like such a waste…" grumbled Mikogami petulantly. "To have power like that, and not even use it? She would make such a perfect addition to my collection! I mean, I already have a Single Number, three double-digits, and…" An idea striking him, he cheerfully said, "Oh, Mutsu, I've got it! I want a triple-digit next!"

Mutsu merely looked away, a deep frown on his face; he said nothing. Yomi, however—"The very next one I hear about, I'll bring back for you, master!"

It was getting dark, Mutsu thought looking out the window. It was getting very, very dark…

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Roof-Top Terrace, Tokyo Executive Suites, Shinto Teito:**

LL had been trying to sleep. It was a problem he had faced almost all his life, ever since that day in the Aries Villa so long ago. A combination of bad memories and circumstance often leaving him sleep deprived and, consequently, restless and bored with existence. In his previous lives, as Zero and the Demon Emperor, he had been able to devote himself wholly to the cause of the world's future and that had left little time for bad dreams.

In the years since removed, LL had not been short of responsibilities to distract himself with; from watching the world afar, anxious to see if the Zero Requiem would unravel itself at any moment, to handling the ever-growing issue of the Sekirei and their role in this world. But when the world did not unravel, when the peace he had tried (and failed) to die for remained, and when thoughts of the Sekirei Plan were still a distant consideration, he had allowed himself to lapse. He allowed himself to remember.

Prince Lelouch had nightmares about his mother's death and his sister's fate; Lelouch Lamperouge, of losing himself to nothingness and leaving the world unchanged; Zero, of a thousand tragedies like Shirley and Euphemia. Even the loathed Demon Emperor had had nightmares; of a failed plan for world domination, of Nunnally's death, of Zero's exposure, of a world either unwilling or simply incapable of change.

Compared to that, compared to the countless sins of his previous lives, what did LL have to dream about? For him, by whatever name he was called then or now, LL had always known the Zero Requiem was about a lot more than just giving the world a chance for peace; it had been Lelouch Lamperouge, vi Britanna, Zero, the 99th Emperor's final chance at redemption. It had been his chance to atone for the sins of his past, and Lelouch had died with a smile. He had accepted his death.

In the future, the present, the _now_ , LL braced himself against the railing of the Tokyo Executive Suites' roof-top terrace with the white knuckled grip of a man afraid he might be blown away by the faintest of wisps on the air. Pulling his robe around him tightly, LL scratched absently at the dull ache in his throat; his fingers tracing the line of his Code etched just below. His eyes followed the lights of Shinto Teito without guidance or direction, drifting aimlessly from one lamp post to another. The city was beautiful and LL saw none of it in that moment.

Compared to _Lelouch_ or _Zero_ , or any other name he had once held, what did LL have to dream about? What nightmares kept him from sleep? The answer was simple. Every nightmare they had once had, that they had thrown themselves into changing the world to escape; memories of his mother's corpse, of killing Euphemia, of watching Shirley die... LL had those same dreams, and more… The Zero Requiem was meant to be his end, his death, and in not just living, but becoming immortal he had been locked away forever from that atonement. LL's greatest sin was still being alive; his punishment was knowing that fact, and living with the memories of his old life.

LL's sin was living, and with that continued life he had committed more sins. First by condemning Nunnally to remain Empress of Britannia, by not claiming the mask of Zero from the tortured man he had forced it on, by allowing Minaka to live, by binding Karasuba's very soul to him, by failing as a Sekirei adjuster, by abandoning CC, by abandoning…

"Akitsu…" he breathed tightly, the name forcing his heart to clench. The nightmare that had driven him here had not been a sin from his past life, but his current one.

Even with over twenty years of research, Minaka and MBI still knew precious little about Sekirei, and even less about Ashikabi. Takehito Asama had had theories, their Pillar Miya had conjectures, and Minaka had conspiracies, but no-one knew what it really meant. All those years ago, LL had been instrumental in understanding the latter; as the first Ashikabi to trigger the emergence of a Sekirei, he had been the focus of consideration on the matter. What effect would the emergence have on him?

LL had not cared nearly as much about himself; he had been worried about the young Sekirei, about Karasuba. LL and Takehito had been the ones to figure it out; that the bond between Ashikabi and Sekirei was permanent, irreplaceable, and absolute. No matter what happened there would always be some kind of link between him and Karasuba. The nature of that connection Takehito could only speculate, but he thought a Sekirei might mold themselves to their Ashikabi in some way. Karasuba did not seem to mind then and she still did not seem to mind now, but LL had resisted it. After all his failures, he had denied the legitimacy of that connection; had urged her to find her own path away from him, for her own safety.

By enslaving Karasuba's soul to him, LL had committed another sin, and with no way to undue it he had instead tried to support her without changing her. Karasuba became her own person, for good or ill, and LL had vowed to never do such a thing again. Then he had met Akitsu. She, like Karasuba, had been young; she, like Karasuba, had been reacting to him as an Ashikabi. He had tried to protect her, to help her adjust her powers and live a normal life, but he had refused to bind another person to him, and eventually he had been forced to leave MBI. She would grow up, free of him, and find her own way in life; that had been his hope.

Yet, every night since returning to Shinto Teito, he had seen her in his dreams. In some she was still as young as he knew her, in others she was much older; in all of them she was sad and alone. He tried to comfort her, to help her, and it was a reminder of his failures not only against her, but…

Then there was tonight. He had dreamt of that day years ago when he had first left MBI and the promise he had made with Akitsu. In that dream he had tried to comfort her again, tried to cheer her up as he had done before, but she had collapsed in pain and the ensuing scream had been faint to his ears even as he exclaimed her name. He had awoken, drenched in sweat, and desperately needing air.

It was a nightmare, he told himself rationally; another bad memory, another sin to weigh him down, and yet… even as he found his eyes roaming the streets below, he could not help noticing that the night air of Shinto Teito had never felt colder. Maybe that was why, when a gale of blistering wind assailed him from behind, LL merely turned with a resigned sense of foreboding.

The sight that greeted him was a woman, and although very different from how he once knew her, LL knew immediately who she was: Akitsu. Mentally, he tried comparing the woman before him with the child he knew; they both had the same soft brown hair, the same pale skin, the same even face and jaw-line. Yet time had not stood as still for her as it had for him and now she stood almost evenly with him and had grown in all the ways a woman should be proud.

However, it was her eyes that told the truth of her years; where the young girl's eyes had been a brilliant shade of resplendent blue, the eyes that watched him now were dull, almost grey. Akitsu, the girl he had once known, was older now, but not without her sorrows. LL took this all in a glance, in seconds, and it was probably that dazed surprise of memory warring with the present that stopped him from catching the girl when she dropped to her knees.

Her bare legs dropped onto the ground, her back arching as she caught herself on shaking hands, her fingers tightening into fists against the ground. "I'm sorry, master…" she said immediately, and even though she bowed her head, LL could hear the tears in her voice. "It's all my fault. I'm so sorry…"

There was a weight in his throat, a feeling in the back of his mind that told him something was missing. "You've done nothing to apologize for, Akitsu-chan," he told her sincerely.

Far from comfort her, LL's words seemed to only bring her even more misery; a heaving sigh drenched from her lungs, even as her dull grey eyes looked up to meet him wet with tears. "But, master… I can't feel you at all…" she said, her voice trembling as a sob pulled at her lungs. "You are my Ashikabi, but… I can't feel you at all…" Even though she had not emerged, even though he had yet to mark her, she had always been able to sense him; to feel his presence in the back of her mind. Akitsu had hoped, desperately, that if she could find her master that feeling would return.

…Yet she felt nothing. "I really am broken," she said numbly, distantly, tears pouring down her face even as she shut her eyes to the world. "Useless… _defective_. I'm so sorry, mast—" She stopped, suddenly feeling warmth and arms in equal measure wrap around her. Startled, she opened her eyes once more to find her master, LL, down on one knee as his arms encircled her. "LL-sama…" she breathed, her heart beating violently.

"You are not defective," he said quickly, tone comforting. "And you definitely aren't useless, Akitsu. Never say that again!" His arms tightened around her, and she felt herself being pulled against his chest. Akitsu tried to count the beats of his heart, but all she could hear was the throbbing of her own.

"I am… defective," she whispered instead, fear rending her still. "A failed product, thrown out, _scrapped_ …" LL's entire posture stiffened then, an aching sigh ensuing forth. "I'm broken now, can't be winged… The doctor, he tried to dispose of me, and I…" She tried to tell him, to explain what had happened, but the words would not come. Why offer excuses, when it was all her fault anyway?

LL could tell easily what must have happened; the blood on her face said plenty. Her adjuster had failed and she had been scrapped as a result, just like… "You've done nothing wrong, Akitsu-chan," he repeated, pulling her up so she would meet his eyes. "Any sin you've committed is mine to bear, so don't cry. You promised me you wouldn't cry."

"I, I haven't," she tried to say, tailing off, "Not until…"

"You've been so strong, so brave," LL said, his eyes willing her to believe him. "You've experienced so much, had to endure so much… I'm so proud of you, Akitsu."

"Ma-master," she tried to say, eyes moist and heart trembling. "But I'm…" Broken, defective, useless…

" _Free_ , Akitsu-chan," finished LL, one hand threading itself through her hair to see the bright red mark on her forehead. "You're free to live however you want. Free to fight, free to run," he smiled slightly, watching a dim light return to her eyes. "Free to love, free to be whoever you want to be, to be with whoever you want to be."

"But, master… I only want to be with you." It was all she had ever wanted.

"Then stay with me, for however long you'd like. I'm not going anywhere," he smiled genuinely; his fingers pulling her chin down to press his lips against the crest on her head, that which marked her broken.

Akitsu felt the warmth of the gesture and traced that heart throughout her entire body; from her brow to her toes, she reveled in the feeling of her master's warmth. She was accepted, wanted, and yet… Unwilling to let that feeling pass away forever, Akitsu reached up with shaking hands; the cold digits tracing the line of her master's jaw. Her eyes were locked on his lips, anxious and hopeful about what might happened.

"No matter the result," LL said evenly, noticing her gaze. "It won't change my answer. So long as you want to stay, you may."

"Master, _LL-sama_ …" the name tumbling forward, Akitsu raised her head to meet his; cold lips pressing themselves tightly against his in an act of desperation and hope.

Immediately, there was a response.

LL first felt the lurch in his throat, the burning sensation buried deep within his chest, and the rush of energy the action brought; he kissed her back gladly. If it was in his power, whatever she wanted was in her right to have. He felt his mind open to the Sekirei clinging so desperately to his being, felt a surge of power pour out from somewhere deep inside his being, felt a door open up… Only to slam shut seconds later. There were no wings, there was no bond, and that bright red mark was still etched on the pale flesh of her forehead.

Akitsu pulled back hesitantly, her face dry only because she had no more tears to give, and watched his face in blatant fear of rejection. She was a Sekirei, a bird, with no wings; she was defective, broken, and useless, and yet… LL smiled gently down at her, his arms moving to embrace her once more. "Akitsu-chan," he said gently. "You are my Sekirei for however long you decide to be."

"You are my master," replied Akitsu, certain of that at least. "Now and forever."

"Then, for now, that will have to be enough."

That was the coldest night Shinto Teito had ever known, but warmth came with a new sun and a new day.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that chapter was rough on multiple levels. Some scenes come out better than I thought they would, others worse. Bit of a mixed bag on that, yet here it is. Sorry to anyone who wanted Akitsu to be winged this chapter, but there is still more to come for her.
> 
> Make sure to leave a comment (and kudos) about this chapter; I am really not sure what to think of it as a whole and would like some feed-back on it. Apart from that, I hope you enjoyed it and are looking forward to chapter four!


	4. Fourth Feather: The Throwing-Knife Sekirei

_Fourth Feather **: **The Throwing-Knife Sekirei****_

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**LL's Apartment, Tokyo Executive Suites, Shinto Teito:**

Amethyst colored eyes opened wearily, the first sign of life returning to them amidst a haze of ebbing sleep. The action was not accompanied by either the mournful sigh or tired groan that had been common to him of late; in fact, he could not remember actually feeling more rested than right now. At least not since… LL closed his eyes tightly, willing the memories away, and only opened them once more when his mind was firmly in the present.

His room in the Tokyo Executive Suites was sparsely furnished beyond that which was already provided; he had avoided clinging to anything after the Zero Requiem and preferred to travel lightly. The clothes and other such necessities he did bring with him were already packed away and that left the room fairly empty so the first thing to catch his attention was the dim morning lights peaking their way behind the curtains of the window and the unusual warmth he felt around him. Winter was quickly settling into place, but he had not turned the heater on yet. What was the cause?

He tried to sit up, pulling the thick blanket covers away from him with one hand, and suddenly stilled for two reasons: first, the sight that greeted him; and secondly, the weight that held him down. This realization quickly brought his mind back to the previous night and his reunion with Akitsu on the roof-terrace. She had suffered so much in his absence and her current status as a Scrapped Number was only the latest proof of that.

LL had never wanted to trigger Akitsu's emergence. Takehito Asama had hypothesized various theories about what the emergence, or "winging", process could mean; for Ashikabi and Sekirei. LL had never agreed with them, however, and even the Sekirei's Pillar, No. 01, Miya, had only shared the vaguest hints with him. Takehito thought it was fate, Yume called it loved, but LL had thought it simple biology. Some sort of in-grained evolutionary imperative all Sekirei naturally possessed and that instinct drove them to form bonds; a trait MBI further enhanced.

Both Karasuba and Akitsu had reacted to him as children; they did not know anything about love or society. Karasuba had not given him any choice in the matter, but LL had intended to protect Akitsu and let her learn the truth for herself. That hope had been destroyed last night when a heartbroken Akitsu had reached out to him for help. LL might not know anything about love, but he did understand pain and loneliness. If Akitsu thought staying with him would help, he would not deny her. Thus resolved, he had guided her inside, convinced her to wash away the blood from her face and body, and given her one of the other bed-rooms.

Why, then, was she in his bed now? Akitsu seemed to be sleeping soundly. Without any clothes for her, a problem that would need a remedy soon, he had given her a number of his shirts and a bath robe. LL could see the robe deposited at the foot of the bed and now she simply wore the ill-fitting shirt with only a few of the buttons closed, leaving her breasts and legs exposed. The Ice Sekirei was pressed tightly against him, LL's left arm trapped amidst her cleavage as she clung to his side.

Withholding his first response to blush, LL reminded himself this sort of thing was common after suffering a traumatic experience. After their mother's death, Nunnally had been similarly attached, after all, and it was preferable to think of this situation in those terms rather than… Dispelling those thoughts, he tried to quietly extract his arm—

"Ah… LL-sama," muttered Akitsu, still sleeping, as he brushed his hand along her side. It was only when he removed his arm from her reach completely, however, that she began to stir. Hazy blue eyes opening quickly and Akitsu met his searching gaze evenly. She rose up immediately, kneeling on the bed, and bowed her head, saying, "Good morning, master…"

Sliding off the bed and grabbing his bath robe, LL answered, "Good morning, Akitsu-chan. Was something wrong with your room?"

Akitsu tilted her head slightly, either considering the question or LL. "Ah…" she spoke at last. "No, LL-sama. The room is fine."

Amethyst met blue intently for a few moments, LL silently asking her to explain further, but when no such answer came he merely sighed. "Fine," he said, turning away while gesturing towards the shower. "Feel free to bathe and get dressed first. I'll go get breakfast ready."

"As you say, LL-sama…"

He heard the faint reply behind him as he left, pulling the robe around him and making his way for the adjacent kitchen area. He tried to just focus on the moment, to put aside thoughts of Sekirei and Scrapped Numbers for a time, to give himself time to think, but that hope was rudely interrupted.

"I must say, this brand is much better than what you used to drink," remarked a calm voice from the kitchen table, a coffee cup in one hand as she sniffed lightly. Her usual grey haori was folded neatly and laid over the back of her chair. Karasuba smiled, adding, "Much better than that Argentinian stuff." In the post-Requiem world, there had not been many places LL was comfortable staying without arousing suspicion or being recognized; obviously Japan, China, and main-land Britannia were out. He would have considered the former Euro-Britannia, or even the EU like Jeremiah, but there were still a few there that remembered Julius Kingsley. In the end, it had been CC who had suggested the former Area 6; specifically the newly formed United States of Argentina.

Despite enduring centuries of Britannian rule, the native Sixes had held true to many of their cultural traditions and local industrial concerns; coffee among them. LL, his latent sleep troubles returning, had especially taken to the bitter beverage. It seemed Karasuba agreed. "So, where is this one from?" she asked, passing him a cup filled to the brim with a sloshing black liquid.

"Barcelona," answered LL, taking the proffered cup. At her questioning look, he added, "It's in the Mediterranean, south of Europe." He drank lightly from the cup, only to wince slightly; Karasuba had prepared it plain.

"Is that where you went?" Karasuba asked casually, her eyes closed and facing away from him. "After you left…"

"It was," he answered, moving into the kitchen to add some sugar to his drink. "I'm surprised you didn't know. I would have thought MBI was keeping an eye on me the whole time." LL certainly had not been hiding, at least not from MBI. As much as he was loathe to admit it, without Minaka's help and MBI's resources it would have been much harder moving around the world in those early years after the Zero Requiem.

"Oh, he probably did," she shrugged. Draining the remains of her cup, she smiled before finishing, "But unless it has anything to do with the Disciplinary Squad, I'm not told."

"I see…" LL frowned, considering the implications of that. He sipped his now sugar-added coffee; much better. Deciding to change subjects, he asked, "What brings you here, Karasuba?"

Her eyes opening slightly, she looked up at him with interest. "Can't I just come to see you, Ashikabi-chan?" she challenged.

"You could," he allowed, smiling thinly. "But I suspect that's not the case today. You're here about Akitsu-chan," When he noticed how her smile dimmed, he continued, "What happened at MBI last night?"

"No one is entirely sure yet," admitted Karasuba easily. "Apparently the Deputy Director of Sekirei Adjustments preformed an unscheduled operation on No. 07. Security footage confirmed the adjustment failed and the doctor was killed." She chuckled, adding maliciously, "It was surprisingly good work; she impaled him through the heart. The ignorant monkey was dead before he reached the wall." There was no mistaking the pleasure in her voice; not only for an appreciated kill, but the death of the man. For all her faults, Karasuba did at least respect her own race. Mostly.

"So Minaka didn't know…" he mused, taking a distracted drink from his cup. It made sense, but then… "So what are your orders? Has the Disciplinary Squad been told to bring her back?" There was a look in his eyes; one half-way between a warning and simple curiosity.

"Not to worry, not to worry," she waved her gloved hand casually, seeing his expression. "Minaka has declared her a Scrapped Number; officially, she is no longer a part of this game." Ordinarily, a Scrapped Number would be repossessed by MBI and disassembled. Such had been the case with the first and previously only Scrapped Number; the unfortunate girl having been cut up for the company's various research projects.

LL knew this all too well, his fingers tightening around the stem of his coffee cup at the memory; blood, gore, and once beautiful brown eyes turned milky white. "That's fine," he said, anxious to chase away those recollections. "Then there will be no problem using her for my plans." If he had been forced to contend with the Disciplinary Squad this early into the game, most of the scenarios he could conceivably take advantage of would be impossible.

Her smile thinning, Karasuba merely inclined her head. "She does make a useful chess piece, doesn't she?" she asked mildly, adding, "Even as scrap…"

"Harsh words, considering she's your sister," he noticed how she grimaced, her narrow eyes shifting down the hall towards the sound of running water. Sekirei had no real filial connection; not even with their Pillar, No. 01. Long before LL had been brought in on the project, MBI had extensively tested every Sekirei genome and concluded that they were all distantly related to one another; with even the supposed "twin pairs" only sharing some related DNA.

That said, many Sekirei tended to form closer bonds for various reasons; LL happened to know No. 11 and No. 12, one of the twin pairs, had developed a stronger bond than ordinary based on shared life experiences and by reacting to the same Ashikabi. For Karasuba and Akitsu, as Sekirei who were both essentially raised by LL and had both reacted to him, their bond should have been much the same. Frowning, he tried, "Is there something—"

"I've brought those papers you wanted," she interrupted, changing the subject; the act so blatant and obvious he was tempted to press on regardless of the glare she was sending him. Karasuba reached into the folds of her nearby haori and withdrew a manila brown folder before placing it on the table between them. When he did not move to respond, she opened her eyes fully to meet him.

LL matched her gaze, amethyst staring into ashen grey, before sighing. She was so stubborn. "Did you have any trouble getting the information?" he asked finally, setting aside his cup to reach for it.

"Surprisingly, no," she answered flatly. At his questioning look, she explained, "Minaka simply handed it over." Which meant, they both knew, that whatever information this folder contained was either faulty, incomplete, or part of a grander scheme the MBI's president was planning. "It's not a very detailed list: only the names of every Ashikabi and their current number of Sekirei."

"That should be enough for what I have in mind," he dismissed her concerns. Honestly, even as a potential trap, this was more information than he had expected her to recover. Lifting up the folder, he added, "Looking over this, I should also be able to figure out what Minaka wants to…" His voice trailed off faintly, his eyes roaming up from the folder and behind the seated Karasuba. His face flushed briefly, before the fledgling immortal collected his features and looked away. "Akitsu-chan…" he sighed wearily.

Karasuba, having noticed her Ashikabi's sudden loss of attention, followed his distracted gaze to the sight behind her. The former No. 07, now Scrapped Number, Akitsu was standing perfectly still, her expression devoid of any mischievous intent despite her half-dressed state. She had apparently only just left the bath and had neglected the use of a towel judging not only by the forming puddle below where she stood, but the glistening of her skin. Her state was compromised further by the shirt that was many sizes too small, no doubt one of LL's, that failed to contain her breasts and was only successfully buttoned along her mid-riff. Oh, and she was also completely naked from the waist down.

Ashen grey met dull blue, a sudden spark of contact flashing between them briefly, but it was the Scrapped Number who spoke: "Ah..." she whispered lightly, bowing her head to the older Sekirei. "Onee-sama… Hello."

"Hello, Akitsu-nee!" she greeted warmly, eyes narrowing despite the widening smile. "It seems you might be a little under-dressed now, don't you think?" Akitsu's head titled, her face even, before looking down at her bare legs and thighs.

"I don't have any clothes," she said at last, expression still blank. "Master only gave me a few shirts."

" _My_ …" Karasuba practically purred, sounding more like a restrained growl; her eyes narrowed into slits as she turned to face him. "My, _my_ , Ashikabi-chan! Taking advantage of your new toy, aren't you?"

LL's face briefly flushed at the sudden attention of the two women; one with thinly veiled anger, the other with blatant adoration. Then he remembered he was innocent. "I left her some under-wear and a bath robe," he defended, eyes looking anywhere but at either woman.

When she was once more under the scrutinizing gaze of No. 04, Akitsu nodded easily. "Ah… yes," she remembered. "I forgot to put them on."

LL sighed, setting the Ashikabi folder aside to turn once more towards the kitchen. "Karasuba, why don't you help Akitsu-chan get dressed," he urged, keeping his eyes away from either. "I'll get breakfast ready for three and we can discuss this folder when you're done."

Karasuba's eyes closed as an even smile graced her lips. "As you say, Your Majesty," she laughed lightly, climbing out of the chair and placing one hand on the Ice Sekirei's shoulder. If the hand was rough, or if she applied more than necessary pressure in the process, neither said a word. "Come along, Akitsu-nee…" she said, pushing the other woman down the hall. "I actually brought some of your things from MBI with me."

"Ah… Yes, Onee-sama…" Akitsu allowed herself to be led by the urging hand of the older Sekirei, even as the sound of clattering pans and a sizzling stove emitted behind them. Rather than directing her back towards LL's room, Karasuba pushed her into one of the other side bed-rooms. The room, the same LL had given the Scrapped Number last night, was sparsely decorated with little more than a bed and few dressers set against the corner. Because of this, Akitsu's eyes were naturally drawn to the small box set atop the bed.

As No. 04 closed the door behind them, Akitsu stepped over to the box. Either as a result of MBI's practical considerations, or even President Minaka's eccentricities, every Sekirei had been given the personal commission of various tailors and weapon smiths during the duration of their adjustments. Weapon-type fighters like Sekirei _No. 04_ , Karasuba, for example, would have their swords and knives crafted to their exacting specifications. However, for Sekirei like Akitsu who relied on their abilities, that had been unnecessary and she had simple chosen a fairly traditional white kimono with black trimming and a sash, albeit supported by metal chains.

Akitsu had never felt particularly strong feelings for the garment, but amidst the radical changes of her life in the last few hours, she found herself reaching out rather reminiscently for the soft fabric. All because of her big sister. "Ah…" she tried to say, eyes oddly moist as she ran her hand over the metal links. "Thank you, Onee-sama…"

There was a soft click behind her, the door lock shifting into place, and Karasuba turned to face her younger Sekirei sister with closed eyes and an easy smile. " _My_ , I must have misheard you, Akitsu-nee…" she remarked lightly. "Care to repeat that?"

Shifting to face her fully, Aktisu bowed lightly. "For bringing my things. Thank you, Onee-sama."

"That's what I thought you said," she nodded, covering the distance between the two in measured steps. "Tell me, Akitsu-nee, how are you feeling?"

"Ah… Feeling?"

"About being a Scrapped Number?" she clarified, grey eyes lifting open slightly at the sudden tensing of the other girl's shoulders. "Does it hurt any? That ugly mark on your forehead?"

Akitsu's outward expression did not change; not really. There was a subtle tightening of her lips, a stiffening of the jaw, and the subdued embers of a glare building behind empty blue eyes, but none of it really changed her morose expression. Even before being scrapped, Akitsu had been prone to melancholy; first for the terrible adjustment sessions and later for LL's departure. Under LL's orders, Karasuba had spared the younger girl more attention than normal; she even allowed the former No. 07 to call her sister and returned the appellation in kind, albeit mockingly.

Perhaps it was that long history of familiarity, or simply a natural talent she possessed, but Karasuba could only smile wider, more genuinely at the reaction. For one with so few expressions, Aktisu might as well have been screaming: "I hate you" here and now. It filled Karasuba with nothing but joy. "It means you're broken, right? Useless," she pressed, smirking as the other girl flinched. "Defective, even. I wonder why _my_ Ashikabi-chan even wants anything to do with you now."

"Master is…" she tried to reply, tried to explain, but even she did not know the answer. She was broken, after all. Finally, she decided on: "Master is kind."

The answer provoked a response from the ashen haired woman; laughter. "Really?" asked Karasuba, mockingly. "That's what you think it is?"

"Ah… Onee-sama—" Akitsu made to speak, but the words were ripped away from her. Faster than even her eyes could follow, No. 04 had reached out, wrapped a single black gloved hand around her throat, and lifted. Using only the strength of a single arm, Karasuba lifted the Scrapped Number off from the floor and pressed her against the wall; her fingers tightening down on the gasping Sekirei's throat.

"Ah…" gasped Akitsu, her words strangled from her. Only the previous evening, less than ten hours ago, she had been in a similar position: Dr. Taniguchi had held her the same way, eyes wide with madness as he tried to choke the life from her. In contrast, Karasuba's narrow eyes were cold, distant; there was malice, yes, but there was also a far off feeling Akitsu had no way of identifying.

"I think we can drop the pretense, Aktisu- _nee_ ," hissed Karasuba, calloused hands digging into the pale flesh of the other woman. "You are not my sister; you are barely even Sekirei anymore. _My_ Ashikabi-chan,"—and there was no denying the possessive tone she held as she said it.—"My Ashikabi-chan wants you, but it's not as his Sekirei."

Even as she struggled to breathe, even as she tried to pull the stronger woman's hand from her throat, Akitsu could still hear; her eyes widening in hurt shock as she stared into the cold eyes glaring in her. "You are a pawn on his chess board," continued Karasuba maliciously, enjoying the look of pain and hurt on her face. "A simple tool. A _toy_. To be used up and thrown away like trash when everything is said and done."

As suddenly as it had begun, Karasuba let go; her strong fingers pulling away from the limply struggling Sekirei and allowing her to drop weakly to her knees. Karasuba stepped back, eyes closed and smile returned. Akitsu steadied herself on shaking knees, one hand balancing herself against the floor while the other tried in vain to massage away the residual pain from her throat. Even as she struggled to breathe, however—"He is my master…" she gasped out between mouthfuls of air. ' _He is my Ashikabi,_ ' she added to herself. ' _Even if I am broken. Even if I can never…_ '

"You are his slave," pronounced Karasuba instantly, back already turned to her. "My advice? Leave Shinto Teito now. MBI doesn't care about worthless scrap."

"He is my master," repeated Akitsu, eyes lifting up to actually glare at No. 04's back. "I will not abandon him. Even if he throws me away, he is still my master."

"But you will never be his Sekirei, and even if you were—" Karasuba paused, sending a cold look over her shoulder at the kneeling Akitsu. "Even if you were, there can only be one winner of this game; one Ashikabi and Sekirei pair. Consider yourself lucky, Scrapped Number: if you hadn't already broken yourself, I would have simply killed you later." She did not wait for a reply, did not turn back to see the look on her face, and just left her there on the floor, silent tears falling.

Instead, Karasuba smiled easily as she followed the scent of freshly made food back towards the kitchen. The former emperor had not been idle; the modest dining table was set for three with a full English breakfast already prepared. LL sat at the head of the table, food untouched, and was calmly going over the Ashikabi folder she had brought him.

"My dear Ashikabi-chan…" she said on approach, stealing a piece of sausage from what was clearly LL's plate. "This does look delicious." When he made no reaction, his attention solely focused on the folder, Karasuba frowned slightly before swallowing the piece of meat whole—Oh, it was good!—and claiming her seat on his right. "See something interesting?" she asked.

LL's face was passive, but there was a thoughtful frown on his face. "Possibly," he said after a moment, setting the folder down to show her. "Thus far, most Ashikabi only have one Sekirei,"— he pointed to a long list of names like Chiho Hidaka, Haruka Shigi, and so on. "But a few of the participants seem to be consolidating power faster than I was expecting. I know Seo Kaoru so him having two is no surprise, but these other three names…"

"Three names?" asked Karasuba absently, fork and knife in hand to eat. She did not care much for strategy; she would just kill whatever target her Emperor wanted her to.

"Sanada Nishi, three Sekirei; Hayato Mikogami, five Sekirei; and Izumi Higa, seven Sekirei," answered LL, tracing the three names as he moved higher up the list. "This folder does not contain a list of Sekirei names or numbers, so it is difficult to get a proper grasp on the amount of power involved here, but to acquire so many Sekirei already…" he frowned deeply, adding, "Sanada may have naturally attracted three, but this Mikogami and Higa likely forcefully emerged at least some of their Sekirei."

"Makes sense," allowed Karausuba, shrugging without concern. "The Discipline Squad has not received any instructions about forbidding the force emergence of a Sekirei."

"Likely, Minaka simply considers it another strategy to win this game; power in numbers, after all," remarked LL dismissively; numbers alone had not helped the Chinese Federation against Britannia, or even Britannia against the Black Knights.

"So you're not interested in acquiring any more Sekirei?" Karasuba interrupted his musings, a sudden look of interest on her face. "Even if it would make winning this game that much easier?"

"You already know the answer to that question, Karasuba. I intended to win this game with just you," said LL plainly, causing a seemingly genuine smile to form on her face. "Now that we have Akitsu-chan as well, this game will be child's play. Besides, I have another piece worth considering…"

Karasuba frowned, considering. "Another piece?" she wondered aloud. "You don't mean—"

"Yes, I do," he interrupted. "I'll need to make the call soon." Looking back towards the Ashikabi folder, he added, "I didn't expect to see so many Sekirei allied together this early in the game. It might prove necessary to limit the enemy forces before they grow too unmanageable. It's also likely either Mikogami or Higa has a Single Number in their possession." While either Karasuba or Akitsu were easily a match for any one opponent, even a Single Number, it would be ridiculous to expect them to handle nearly ten Sekirei on their own.

"So which will be the first target?" she asked, her blood-lust showing as she smiled thinly.

"I do not recognize the name Mikogami," began LL, considering. "Higa, on the other hand… Yes, if I remember correctly, the Higa family are MBI's premier rivals in the medical technologies industry here in Japan." Even during the Kururugi regime, the Higa family held a tremendous amount of influence and power; a favored position they had clung to by joining together with the Six Houses of Kyoto during the Britannian occupation. By the time of the first Black Rebellion, they had been close to securing their own position therein. Unfortunately for all involved, the Six Houses had been entirely purged under Viceroy Calares, and the Higa's ambitions thwarted.

"However, I don't recognize the name Izumi, so the Higa involved in the Sekirei Plan is probably the company heir." LL continued, his focus turning towards the window in thought. "The Higa Corporation has a building here in Shinto Teito, on the east side of the city; Izumi Higa is likely using that as his main base. It would be reckless to assault him directly without confirming if he has any Single Numbers—" No. 02, No. 03, No. 05, No. 06, and No. 09 were all unaccounted for. "So that limits my options."

"I'm sure you have a plan, though," Karasuba said; there was no mistaking the amusement in her tone.

LL's answer was telling: he smiled.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Teito Tower, Shinto Teito:**

Hiroto Minaka was known for many things.

To the world, he was known as the president and founder of Mid Bio Informatics, the most powerful mega-corporation in the world with influence only rivaled by the United Federation of Nations. To anyone who knew him personally, he was a genius; the sort that only came about every few generations and was spoken of in the same tone of reverence reserved for brilliant minds like Lloyd Asplund and the Britannian Prime Minister, Schneizel. As capable of building technical wonders as he was making tremendous leaps in deduction, it could even be argued that he exceeded them.

His employees called him Mr. President, his beloved Takami would call him insane, and his treasured Sekirei called him professor, but… If there was a single title, a single honor, he took the most pride in than it was one: Hiroto Minaka was the Game Master of the Sekirei Plan. Everything in his existence, from his genius to his company to his very life, was all for the Sekirei Plan and the magnificent vision of the future it promised; of a world touched by gods and remade into a grander ideal than ever before. Everything Hiroto Minaka had ever done was all leading up to this very moment; to the climax of humanity.

Even now, as his gloved hand reached out to grasp the city lights beneath him, Minaka was consumed by that desire; to usher in the new age of the gods and let the world be shaken to its very core. Never before had his eyes been clearer, his mind sharper, even as his hair had faded to white.

"It's a fascinating prospect," he breathed aloud, the words turning into vapor on cold winds. "Isn't it, Takami?"

Takami Sahashi, hair faded to grey, eyes weighed down by stress, bit down on the cigarette butt in her mouth. "I've never shared your sense of megalomania," she said in turn. "Or your opinions about what this whole mess will lead to."

Even with his back to her, Minaka smiled; it was not one of cruelty or condescension, but more reminiscent of a child sharing their greatest passion. "We built this city up from nothing," he began, his arm extending in a grandiose flourish towards the glittering light of the city. "From the ruins of a FLEIJA destroyed Tokyo, we built a shining city greater than another other in the world!"

"I think that had more to do with a certain some-ones organizational skills than your own," she remarked absently.

"Perhaps, perhaps," conceded Minaka easily. "Our dear Vice President was instrumental in that success, I agree, but in the end it was MBI's resources that completed the job." For years, more than half of MBI's total budget was dedicated to rebuilding Tokyo; it was as much a financial undertaking as it was a political one. Even to this day there were more than a few people upset about a private company literal owning the former capitol of Japan. Minaka continued, "And after all these years of hard work, the city is finally in our hands and the game board for the Sekirei Plan is at long last set."

"To call this a game…" sighed Takami. "Even after everything that's already happened." Everything that has happened to Akitsu, to Takehito, to Yume…

"But it is a game, Takami," laughed Minaka happily. "The greatest game ever played! One that will change the very world around us! You can't expect the world to change so drastically without some sacrifices, can you?" Turning around to face her, the bespectacled President of MBI said, "But that's not why you came up here, is it? To discuss philosophy."

"No, it's not," she agreed; Minaka was a madman and well beyond the level of reason required to simply talk him out of things. Instead—"I've got the reports on the recent Sekirei activity."

"Oh?" he smiled happily; for all his faults, he was at least attentive to anything involving the Sekirei Plan. "And what do you have to report?"

Her tone even, Takami said, "The second group of Sekirei have finished their adjustments. Sekirei No. 09, No. 13, No. 19, No. 28, the twins No. 38 and 39, No. 72, No. 78, No. 84, No. 86, and No. 103 are all scheduled to be released next week. In total, that will be an additional eleven Sekirei released, bringing the total amount in Shinto Teito to just over fifty-percent of the Sekirei population."

"Good, excellent work," praised Minaka sincerely. "The First Stage is well under-way, then. How are the other adjustments coming?"

"Slowly. After being forced to scrap No. 07, I have removed all other adjusters from their projects. That leaves me as the only qualified person to finish final adjustments on well over thirty different Sekirei." Without Takehito Asama or LL, there simply were not any other skilled adjusters left; it had only been out of desperation that she had even allowed Ryusei Taniguchi to experiment on Akitsu and now she was a Scrapped Number.

"Have you considered calling in Miyajima-san?" he suggested lightly. "She completed work on No. 09 well enough."

"I'll try and give her a call," Takami shrugged; that particular woman was unlikely to be of any help.

"How is No. 57 recovering?" Sekirei _No. 57_ , Yahan, had been cut down by the Discipline Squad in a failed attempt to escape. "She was hurt pretty bad, wasn't she?"

"Stable," she answered. "Her wounds have been healed, but it will take some additional time to complete her adjustments now. Silly girl, if she had only waited a few more days she would have been with this group."

"She was nearly terminated by No. 04, Karasuba, right?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, you know that…" she said shortly. What was he—

"Just making sure," he waved away her suspicions with one hand. "You're so scary, Takami-kun! I was just concerned for one of my little bird's safety, that's all!" When Takami's look of suspicion turned into a glare, he added, "Well, maybe there's more to it than that. Tell me, Takami, have you noticed anything different about our dear No. 04 recently?"

"Karasuba?" questioned Takami, considering. "Now that you mention it, she has been leaving the Teito Tower more often—"

"Nearly every-day, in fact."

"—And she has seemed a little more relaxed than normal, too," she finished. "Why do you ask?"

"Because she's also been asking about currently active Ashikabi and Sekirei," Minaka replied, his tone suggestive. "Their names, locations, number of Sekirei, which numbers have already emerged…" Karasuba, even with her position as the nominal head of the Discipline Squad, had never shown such an interest in the Sekirei Plan outside of potentially interesting opponents. For her to be asking questions like this now meant…

"LL-san is back," she concluded, her theory from before confirmed. "Which means she is now an active participant in the Sekirei Plan. Has she resigned from the Discipline Squad yet?"

"No, she hasn't," answered Minaka. "Which can only mean our darling Lulu-sama has another piece to play on his board… LL must have recovered our run away."

"The Scrapped Number… Akitsu," said Takami. It made sense; before being scrapped, the Ice Sekirei had been reacting to him. "Will you be sending the Discipline Squad to retrieve her?"

"No. As a Scrapped Number, she is no longer a valid participant in my game…" Minaka explained. "If LL intends to play around with broken MBI property, let him, and so long as Karasuba continues to up-hold her duties to the Discipline Squad I see no reason to limit her actions."

"Even if that means providing information to an Ashikabi," said Takami, surprised. "Won't that undue the balance of your little game?"

"Takami-kun, you hurt me," he said, his lips quivering dramatically. "I am the Game Master! No player will have an unfair advantage!"

"Which means…?"

"In exchange for my graciously provided information, LL will be expected to complete a few special events!" he laughed. "We'll just have to release the next batch of Sekirei a little early!"

Hiroto Minaka was recognized the world over as a genius, but in that moment, as he laughed manically at his own schemes, he looked more like a mad genius. Takami Sahashi kept that observation to herself; he would probably take it as a compliment.

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Eastside, Shinto Teito:**

Sekirei _No. 72_ , Natsu, was not having a great day. She had only been freed by MBI earlier that same morning; free to leave the tower, to explore the city, and to find her Ashikabi. By every standard, as a proud Sekirei, this should have been the happiest day of Natsu's life, and until about an hour ago it had been. Then she had encountered a particularly annoying person, and-

Hearing the whistling of a knife behind her, Natsu quickly dodged, the offending blade only managing to claim a few strands of raven black hair off the top of her head. But the movement did not break her stride in the least; she kept running. "Hold still, damn it!" shouted the obnoxious voice behind her, the loud mouth blonde Sekirei pulling back tightly on the cord connecting her propelled sickle-shaped blades into a series of loops around her shoulder. "This would be so much easier if you would just—"

Deciding she had listened enough to the smaller girl's whining, Natsu abruptly stopped, turned on her heel, and tossed one of her reliable throwing knives. The loud-mouthed Sekirei's eyes widened at the sudden change, but had the presence of mind to side-step out of the way. A rather violent snarl building up in her chest, she grit her teeth. "Finally ready to stop running?" she snapped.

"This should be far enough," answered Natsu easily, her hands raised to display the row of additional throwing knives held between her fingers. "Couldn't very well get into a fight back there in the middle of the street, could I?" Eyeing her opponent in consideration, Natsu cast her purple gaze over the smaller girl's slim body, flat chest, and short blonde hair; whoever this girl was, she almost looked like a child. She wore a shoulder-less black and white top, with a matching set of sleeves, black shorts with a belt, and had strings tied around her body.

Scoffing lightly, Natsu added, "I didn't really expect my first battle in the Sekirei Plan to happen even before I found my Ashikabi, but I guess this will do. I'm Sekirei _No. 72_ , Natsu."

Still growling, the other girl actually spat on the nearby pavement. "Aren't you polite," she grumbled, adding. "I'm Sekirei _No. 31_ , Sai."

"Polite? Not really, but that is the rule of this game, right? All fights are supposed to be one-on-one and we introduce ourselves first." Shrugging her exposed shoulders, Natsu stretched slightly; they had been running for some time, after all, but this little park should be a good place to fight. Positioning her black booted feet, she was thankful for her chosen purple sweater as a chilly gust of wind ghosted across her exposed abdomen and set her half skirt fluttering.

Sai did not seem impervious to the cold either because the barely dressed girl was overcome by a fully-body shiver. Natsu considered attacking then, but… "So we doin' this, or what?" she challenged instead, her fingers gesturing tauntingly; no need to be so petty.

Her teeth chattering all the while, Sai still managed a snarl. "You are so _dead_ …" she hissed, her arms up and her bladed strings scattering about the field. Natsu rolled her eyes, ducked under the two aimed at her, and quickly began to close distance. Her opponent used blades tied to strings and clearly preferred mid-range combat, yet despite Natsu's use of throwing knives she still prided herself on her close range abilities. Besides, daggers worked better up-close than string knives anyway.

Sai may have been short-tempered, but she was not stupid; she realized what No. 72 was doing. Her feet skipping backwards, she gave a quick tug on her various strings causing the arrayed instruments come swirling back and into the exposed back of her opponent. Natsu, in the path of those blades, smirked lightly before jumping clear of the returning knives; Sai scowled, but caught them easily in her hands.

Her momentum slowed, Natsu jumped up onto one of the park's many trees, balancing herself deftly on a thin branch. "Gotta say," she remarked airily, looking down on the other girl both metaphorically and literally. "You are surprisingly good with those un-wieldy things."

"I'll show you ' _unwieldy'_ , bitch!" snapped Sai, the motion of her arms a prelude to the hurled knives. Natsu smirked down at her from her perch, the older looking Sekirei merely jumping backwards off the branch and easily avoiding the six blades that embedded themselves deeply in the trunk of the tree behind her. "You won't get away!" yelled Sai furiously, pulling back on her strings… only for them to go taut.

"Like I said," repeated Natsu, eying the knives stuck inside the tree briefly. " _Unwieldy_. My turn." Instantly, she threw her own ranged blade at the gaping Sai. Pulling frantically on her strings, No. 31 was able to free them just in time to receive a blade in one of her shoulders and another in her left leg. Dropping to her knees in pain, Sai let loose every obscenity she knew, and she had quite the vocabulary.

Her opponent brought low to the ground, a series of tangled black strings around her, Natsu claimed victory. "I win," she announced mildly, approaching her kneeling and bloodied foe. "I would just use by Norito prayer to finish you, but, well… No Ashikabi yet." She shrugged, unfazed. "Guess violent termination will have to do… Try to hold still and I'll make this quick." Right before she could throw the winning blow, however, she heard it—

" _Argh!_ " screamed a feral sounding voice behind her, Natsu only narrowly missing the explosion of dirt and rock from where she had just been standing. Sai was still crouched down, staring at the offender in surprise, but Natsu was quick to make space between her and the new arrival.

The new girl was clearly a Sekirei with dark hair and wild eyes wearing the white and red ensemble associated with a shrine priestess, only with extra-long sleeves now buried into the crater she had just formed. "I—I wanted to pound her… To crush her…" There was genuine sorrow in the bedraggled looking girl's voice. "Why can't I? Why!?"

"Because you're crazy," said Natsu deadpan.

Sai, however—"Damn it, Kaiha!" she yelled, one hand clutching her bleeding shoulder. "You're not supposed to kill her, stupid! Our master wants her taken alive!"

"Master… taken alive?" muttered Kaiha distantly, the words tumbling around in her jagged smile, showing off the cut teeth within. "But I can still hurt her, right?"

"I'd prefer you didn't…" sighed Natsu.

"Damn right you can!" answered Sai instead, her own blood-lust showing.

"Cutting time!" Kaiha declared, her arms flexing and tearing apart her long sleeves to reveal massive blades covering almost her entire arm past the elbow, the sweep of metal around her shoulders making them appear like scissors. Agitated and clearly deranged, she added, "I will… _rip you apart!_ " Without further warning, the feral woman leapt forward in a rush of movement in complete contradiction to the apparent weight of her chosen weapon and Natsu watched worriedly as the twin scissor blades closed in around her.

Thinking fast, Natsu aimed her trusty knives not at the blades, but their wielder hoping to take it out now. In another show of speed, Kaiha quickly brought one of her blade arms to block the thrown knife, the other arm sweeping across to gut No. 72, who jumped back in time to escape death but left a trickle of blood behind. Clutching her sliced abs with one hand, Natsu looked annoyed, ready to throw another knife, when she heard whistling…

Jumping to the side, Natsu watched as No. 31's string blades soured past her harmlessly. Sai was wounded, one arm limp at her side, but her free hand was still wrapped around her strings, and a livid expression on her face. "I thought Sekirei battles were supposed to be one-one-one?" asked Natsu angrily.

"Like I give a shit!" snapped Sai, scowling. "And I know my master doesn't give a shit either! Now be a good bitch and either co-operate or just _fucking_ die!" In seeming answer to that demand, Kaiha charged forth again, scissor arms ready, and Natsu only barely managed to slide under them, another few tossed knives bouncing harmlessly off the deranged Sekirei's weapon.

 _'This is bad,_ ' thought Natsu worriedly, her eyes shifting between Sai and Kaiha in concern. ' _I could beat No. 31 easily, but this… beast, Kaiha._ '—said woman laughed hysterically, just now noticing the trail of blood around them—' _Is a close-range combatant, my weakness. I need to get out of here, but how…?_ '

"Need to cut… Need to rip…" mumbled Kaiha.

"Guess it's time to die, then!" smiled Sai, adding gleefully, "Kaiha! Kill this bitch!"

Needing no more encouragement, the Feral Sekirei Kaiha leapt forward once more, poised to cleave off her enemy's head; Natsu was nimble enough to duck at the last moment, falling to her knees, only to be met with the on-coming rush of three string blades. _'No time to dodge again…_ ' she panicked, eyes widening in horror as she saw them move. _'Is this how it ends for me… without even finding my Ashikabi?_ '

Sekirei _No. 72_ , Natsu, closed her eyes and regretted never finding her destined one; she regretted never finding the one person who would mean so much to her. She closed her eyes in regret, expecting either death or termination, and unimaginable pain, but was even more surprised when all she felt was cold… Like ice was creeping up her legs and a cold emptiness had encased her heart. _'Is this death…?_ ' she wondered briefly, only to shake her head. ' _But I wasn't even hit!_ '

Her eyes opening hesitantly, Natsu gasped as her vision was filled with sparkling blue ice. Both Sai's thrown strings and Kaiha's scissor arms were buried deep into the block of ice, the two Sekirei struggling violently to free their weapons. "How did…?" Nastu wondered, only to suddenly hear a voice.

"Not quite what I was expecting," remarked a calm male voice behind her, his tone more observant than anything else. He was wearing a simple black jacket with a hood and a pair of casual pants. "While your powers have certainly stabilized, they don't seem to be nearly as finely controlled." His blue eyes traced the spread of ice and frost around them; while a solid block had formed between Nastu and Kaiha, the surrounding area was still freezing over.

At the man's side, a tall and well-endowed woman bowed slightly, the rattle of metal sounding out as she moved. "Ah… Sorry, master," she said immediately, tone mild. "I'll do better next time."

"No, no… It's fine," he waved away her words, looking over the three assembled Sekirei for a brief moment. Finally, he asked, "So, I take it we are interrupting something?"

"Who the fuck are you!?" demanded Sai, still violently pulling at her strings.

"Just a simple passer-by," he answered lightly, clearly lying. "And if I had to guess… I would say _you_ and _you_ "-he pointed at Sai and Kaiha in turn—"are attempting to abduct the other one. Am I correct?"

While Kaiha was still buried elbow deep, the smaller blonde finally managed to tug her strings free, shouting, "Like it's any of your business, but yes! We're under orders from our master!"

"Your master?" he repeated in consideration. "And what would those orders happen to be?"

"To kill or capture No. 72!" seethed Sai, scowling. "Now, who the fuck are you!?"

"My name is LL," he said easily before gesturing at his side. "This is Akitsu-chan…" The woman at his side nodded slightly, a softly whispered "ah" her only vocal response. "You said kill or capture, right? That means I must have been correct. Izumi Higa really is gathering his Sekirei through forced emergences."

Kaiha thrashed violently, desperately trying to break free of the ice, and was now trying to chew around it, but Sai looked stricken. "H-how do you know the master's name!?" she whispered faintly, only to resume scowling in the next minute. "And don't insult Higa-sama! He doesn't force anybody to wing!"

"Yet you capture them?" asked LL curiously, one eye-brow raised.

"Yeah, we capture 'em and taken 'em to Higa-sama," said Sai simply, seemingly proud. "From there they get a choice: join master or be terminated. Master doesn't need weaklings, you see. He only accepts the best."

"Coercion, then," nodded LL, considering. "Possibly more humane than the alternative, but very little difference in the end." To Sai, he asked, "Were you coerced to join Izumi Higa?"

"No way!" she answered immediately, standing up haughtily despite her wounded shoulder. "I reacted to Higa-sama! That means I'm better than all those other pissants!"

"And you?" he repeated, turning towards Higa's other Sekirei.

Kaiha stilled slightly, her arms sagging in the ice as she scowled. "Doesn't matter," she said at last. "Just want to cut… _to rip_ …"

"What does it matter to you, anyway?" demanded Sai, suddenly remembering the situation. She raised her good arm, which still clutched tightly to her string blades. "We're your enemies!"

"You are my enemies," he agreed easily, his face even. "But I don't know much about Izumi Higa yet and people with short tempers are easy to interrogate."

"You think I'm just a chump!?" hissed Sai furiously, arm already arched to throw her strings. "I'll show you, bastard!" There was a whistling in the air before she even finished, the glinting metal of her favored instruments singing loudly as they soared through the air. She had aimed them straight for LL's heart despite MBI's rule explicitly forbidding any harm against Ashikabi, but she no longer cared; this punk had insulted her and, worse, he had insult her master, Higa-sama. He would die and her blades would do it…

If they did not bounce ineffectually off a conjured block of ice not even half way to their destination. LL's Sekirei stepped around him, placing her body between him and Sai. The woman was a wall, dressed in a white kimono, and had metal chains wrapped around her breasts, but the thing that instantly caught Sai's eyes was the look on her face. Ice cold death had replaced the placid and empty look in her eyes from before.

"You shall not harm my master," she pronounced coldly, ice hovering about her in deadly warning.

"Akitsu-chan," spoke LL easily, the Sekirei at his side bowing slightly as he finished, "We don't need anything more from them."

He did not speak the words, yet his order was clear. At once, Sai felt the air around her turn to chill, the faint breeze giving way to an oppressive coldness that smothered them all. When Sai spoke, vapor poured from her mouth: " _K_ -Kaiha, we've got to work together here!" she tried to say, only for…

The ice around Kaiha shattered apart, Akitsu's hand merely waving the block away.

Nastu had watched the arrival of this Ashikabi and his powerful Sekirei, paralyzed in shock until now and even she still had the peace of mind to jump away, but the feral looking Sekirei had no way of evading the sudden burst of icy needles that shredded through her body. Kaiha was thrown back violently, her clothes and flesh in tatters, and dropped to the ground face first. She did not get up, either dead or terminated as the reddish black mark on her exposed back, a Sekirei's crest, evaporated.

Sai watched this in astonishment; she knew how strong Kaiha was and knew that in a fight between them there was no way she could have beaten the feral woman. "Damn it," she scowled bitterly. Her master would be furious if she ran away, but… There was no way she could win here now. "Consider yourselves lucky for today," she boasted instead, backing away slightly. "When my master hears about this…" She said no more, turning around to sprint as fast as she could away.

Akitsu turned to give chase, but was stopped with a word: "Wait. There's no need," LL said easily, his attention turning to the only remaining Sekirei. "Leaving a survivor for our first operation will force Higa to act and I've already planned for what happens next."

"Ah…" said Akitsu placidly, bowing. "As you say, master."

Smiling slightly, he inclined his head towards the downed Kaiha. "Well done, Akitsu-chan," he praised lightly. "You are certainly a lot stronger than you were before."

Blushing brightly, Akitsu bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, master…"

From her position off to the side, Natsu eyed the interactions between this strange Ashikabi and his Sekirei wearily, uncertain how to proceed, and was debating making a run for it when she saw the pale blue eyes of the Ashikabi meet her own. Suddenly very nervous, Natsu bowed her head slightly, saying, "Thank you for your help."

"No trouble at all," he smiled slightly, causing Natsu to blush. "We just happened to be passing by, Miss—"

"N-Natsu," she said immediately. He seemed pretty nice, but… "I'm Sekirei _No. 72_ , Natsu. I was just released from MBI today, so I'm still trying to find my Ashikabi."

"Miss Natsu," he said simply, considering, "Or, I suppose, you would prefer Natsu-san, right? So, tell me, Natsu-san, have you had any luck finding your Ashikabi yet?"

Back at MBI, even back on Kamikura Island, there was a lot of talk about how a Sekirei would find their destined Ashikabi. Everyone knew the story of Karasuba, the First Emerged Sekirei, and how she had just known even before meeting him who her Ashikabi was; it was considered an inspiring tale and it caused more than a few Sekirei to merely leave the tower with hope in their hearts. Natsu was no different; she desperately wanted to meet her Ashikabi, to find the meaning behind her life, and experience everything that came after. Yet…

Yet she had not felt anything from this city; not its people or its streets. The stories about Karasuba made it all seem so simple, like finding your Ashikabi was as easy as just going outside; she had even pictured some heroic tale of rescue and romance. Instead, Natsu had been attacked and threatened with a forced bond to some person she had never even heard of before, much less met. She had fought against that, confident in herself and her destiny to find love, but that had not been enough. She had eventually lost and was about to die until…

Her dark purple eyes searching, Natsu traced every feature of her savior: from his obviously handsome face, smooth skin, and beautiful raven hair. Natsu searched all of this and easily concluded LL was a very attractive person and he seemed nice, but… he was not her Ashikabi. "No such luck yet," she answered, smiling faintly. At his raised eye-brow, she added, "Sorry."

LL's eyes opened a little wider, his eyes sweeping her face in a glance, before his lips settled in an easy frown. "Ah, you are mistaken. I was not intending to take you as my Sekirei," he explained, realizing what she must have thought. "I already have two and that is more than enough for me." Something about his words seemed to inordinately please the woman behind him, the ice using Sekirei standing taller at his words.

Her face flushing in embarrassment, Natsu laughed nervously, saying, "Hah-hah… Right, sorry about that. You seem like a great guy and all, but…"

"I'm not your Ashikabi."

"Exactly, you're not my Ashikabi," she agreed, her eyes misting slightly as she gazed off into the distance. "But I know he's out there somewhere so I'm going to keep looking and—"

"No need to say more, please," he interrupted, his voice oddly faint. "No matter what, I'm glad you feel that way. That you had something you wanted to achieve." He raised his hand, palm out, and fingers extended towards her. He was smiling.

Although the Sekirei had mostly been taught Japanese customs, Natsu recognized the gesture for what it was. Clasping his hand with both of her own, Natsu shook it gladly. "Thank you for saving my life," she repeated, smiling gratefully. "When I find my Ashikabi, I hope we meet again. Then we can fight without regret and—" She suddenly stopped as her attention was instantly captured by the glowing red outline that shone through his jacket, only to then feel her body going stiff as her vision turned to white. Her mind felt like it was falling into a deep abyss as she felt more than saw literal planets pass her by, and was left numb as a result.

"I won't apologize," LL's voice echoed around the white void she found herself in. "But I have my own reasons for wanting to win this game."

"W-where am I…?" she tried to ask, her voice struggling. The was something above her; a giant sphere of orange and brown.

"And in order to win," he continued, either deaf to her question or simply ignoring it. "I need to remove all potential opposition from the board." Meaning he was going to terminate her, Natsu realized. "If I allowed you to roam free, Higa would find you. Even if you were lucky, even if you still managed to find your Ashikabi, I would have to defeat you then."

"W-why…?" she felt her body turn cold, a haunting chill climbing its way up her back.

"There can only be one winner in this game," he said distantly, his voice fading away. "And I've decided it's going to be me."

Sekirei _No. 72_ , Natsu, collapsed on the ground without muttering a single sound, her body encased in a block of ice. LL watched the young woman fall away from his hand with guarded eyes; not triumphant by any means, but eyes without remorse. "I would have preferred to do this without any pain," he spoke to the girl. The only reason he had even used the paralyzing effect of his Code was to protect the mind of the young woman, but the body… A fallen tear was now frozen against Natsu's cheek, her body reacting to things in ways her mind had simply not been aware.

"Ah… master, look," Akitsu interrupted, gesturing above the tree line to an approaching helicopter. "MBI is coming."

Finally pulling his attention away from the defeated Sekirei, LL nodded. "Probably coming here to retrieve Kaiha and Natsu," he explained. "Ordinarily, we would have to stay to register our victory with MBI, but since you are officially a Scrapped Number, your victories will not count—"

Bowing deeply, Akitsu said, "I'm terribly sorry, master, for being…"

"—But that doesn't matter to me," he dismissed her concerns easily, adding, "Better that Higa is left on guard for now not knowing who attacked him. We should withdraw."

Two Sekirei defeated, Akitsu's powers properly tested, and the first moves against Izumi Higa in place. It was victory, LL told himself, but somehow it still felt like another sin.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to include the first scene with Higa by having Sai report back, but decided to cut it. Did not really feel like a worth-while addition. So I hope you like this chapter as is.
> 
> LL has the first workings of a plan, we got some solid Akitsu-Karasuba interaction, and some plot hints. Let me know your thoughts about all this and maybe what you are hoping to see! Any suggestions on interesting fight ideas are welcome, too (like Homura vs Akitsu and such).


	5. Turn Five: The Knight of Orange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I have seen the Resurrection movie; not as bad as I feared, honestly. Sort of lessens the thematic impact of original Code Geass, but does well to address the more important character moments that would follow. Also, villain is middling, but the final battle was worthwhile. I give it a solid 3.5 out of 5. That said, it does not change this story; for the purposes of this, that movie is ignored. Although I might do a one-shot or interlude at some point dealing with it.
> 
> Anyway, onto the chapter, and I warn you: I think I am actually proud of this one! Turned out so much better than I ever expected it.

**Turn Five:** _The Knight of Orange_

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2018**

**California, Holy** **Britannian Empire** **:**

Jeremiah Gottwald, former Margrave of the Holy Britannian Empire, was once a man of distinction. Well-respected not only for his skill as a Knightmare pilot and civil administrator, but for his fearlessness in battle and loyalty to the empire and its noble cause; there had even once been rumors of his coming ascension to the Knights of the Round, a position of honor appointed only by the Emperor of Britannia himself. In short, the name Jeremiah Gottwald had once been associated with such words as valorous, honorable and, above all, loyalty.

How, then, had it come to this?

"Jeremiah Gottwald, you stand charged of treason against not only Britannia, but the Royal Family!" Prince Schneizel el Britannia, acting in his office as Prime Minister, began without tone or inflection. The assembly of young lords and ladies arrayed around the room murmured their assent and approval. "Firstly, you stand charged of conspiring with the usurper, the exiled Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, to assassinate His Majesty, the 98th Emperor, and over-throw the lawful government of our beloved homeland!"

Even amidst the sudden jeers of the assembly, Jeremiah Gottwald remained resolute; his face passive and calm. He stood tall and proud at the center of the room, even as his arms and legs were bound in a straight-jacket; his only piece of ornamentation being his feather-shaped, orange eye cover. "Secondly," the Prime Minister continued. "You stand charged of supporting the Usurper by personally suppressing loyalist to the true Crown, most notably Earl Rosenkreuz."

The Earl Rosenkreuz had been Viceroy of Area 2, now the United States of Canada, and was amongst the largest of the early uprisings against Emperor Lelouch. Jeremiah Gottwald, as a General of Lelouch's Britannia, had seen to it personally that uprising was quashed; that and many others like it. The current Earl Rosenkreuz, a young man of barely sixteen, sneered down at his father's killer; like many in the assembly, he was a young man forced to assume his dead father's title. Jeremiah Gottwald was motionless; his single orange colored eye meeting his accuser.

"Thirdly," said Prince Schneizel, his sonorous voice rising over the chatter of the assembly. "You stand charged of supporting the Usurper in his indiscriminate war-mongering that threatened the very peace of this world! Among such offenses: you, personally, led the forces that invaded Japan and attacked the United Federation of Nation's ruling council."

The assembly murmured their disapproval, but they were clearly not as enraged by this as they had been the former. For the wider world as a whole, however, this was his most serious crime and there were many within the UFN that demanded Jeremiah Gottwald, as the only survivor of Emperor Lelouch's regime, be handed over for an international tribunal.

"Fourthly, you stand charged of supporting the Usurper in his reign of terror across the globe!" Behind the Prime Minster, and illuminating the dimly lit assembly hall around them, a massive screen flickered into life revealing a map of the world. "The Usurper, in an attempt to justify his war of hatred against the world, willfully destroyed his own Capitol of Pendragon, killing millions." A black mark appeared over Arizona. "Then, after establishing a world dictatorship, in an attempt to suppress riots against his corrupt authorty, the Usurper than destroyed the city of St. Petersburg – then a territory of the his empire and killing millions of his own people." A black mark appeared over Russia.

"Then, to enforce his tyranny and suppress riots within UFN territories, he destroyed the Chinese Vermillion Forbidden City, killing millions." A black mark appeared over China. Prince Schneizel released a mournful sigh before continuing, "Finally, to crush the last bastion of hope against his tyranny, the Usurper destroyed the capitol of Europe, Paris… killing even more millions. All these deaths, totaling well over forty million, and using the most dreadfully conceived weapon in human history – the FLEIJA war-head."

"Faced with charges as grave and severe as these," finished Prince Schneizel, solemnly. "How do you, Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, defend your actions?"

Jeremiah's face did not change, but he did speak: "You are mistaken, Your Highness; I am no margrave. Emperor Lelouch abolished the peerage."

There was a shift in the room; the assembly of Britannian lords and ladies gasping at the mere mention of the dreaded Usurper's name, some even flinching. For all his crimes, for all his evils against the world, there would never be a people in this world who could despise Emperor Lelouch more than the people in this room; the blue-blooded nobility that had suffered most under his reign, that saw his actions not only as those of a tyrant, but as a personal attack on their way of life. Prince Schneizel silenced them all with a wave of his hand. "While it is true, the Usurper did abolish the aristocracy, our new Empress has seen fit to restore it."

"If that is Her Majesty's wish, then I accept. I am Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald once more."

The assembly sneered and mocked him from above, but the prince made no such comments. Instead, he repeated: "I ask you again: do you, Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, have anything to say in your defense."

"My _loyalty_ ," began Jeremiah, the very word spoken with reverence. "Is, and has always been, to Britannia and the Royal Family."

"Even to a Usurper? Even to an exiled prince who would murder his father and imprison his own sister? Even to the greatest enemy Britannia – no, the world has ever known?"

"Without question!" Jeremiah Gottwald was resolute; his face held no trace of fear or concern. "My loyalty is absolute!"

Prince Schneizel was passive; his lips were thin and his voice even. He said, "Then, as a man who has pledged his loyalty to Britannia and the Royal Family, do you abide by the wishes of its new empress? Do you swear your fealty once more to the ruler of Britannia?"

"I do…" he answered immediately, bowing at the waist as his bound arms and legs prevented him from kneeling. "I, Jeremiah Gottwald, once more pledge my fealty to the vi Britannia line of the Royal Family!" The chattering murmur of the assembly returned in full force; the man's vow to the "vi Britannia line" specifically having not gone unnoticed.

Once more, Prince Schneizel silenced them with little more than a whisper. "Then, so sworn in your oaths, I ask you: in the name of Her Majesty, the Empress of Britannia, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"I am Jeremiah Gottwald, the anointed Knight of Orange," he announced grandiosely, many in the assembly snickering at the ceremonial title and its associated history. "I have pledged my life, and my death, to His Majesty, Emperor Lelouch. All I did, I did in his name! All I do, I do in his memory!" There was an immediate out-cry from the assembly; calls for death, execution, and punishment. Prince Schneizel surveyed the scene around him without expression; his face the picture of the impartial judge.

"Very well," he said at length, his voice rising above the assembly. "Then I, Schneizel el Britannia, Prime Minister of the Holy Britannian Empire, declare you, Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, guilt—"

"I ask you hold your sentence, big brother…" interrupted a voice; it was soft and gentle in tones, but there were only two in this world who could stay the hand of Prince Schneizel. Both had now arrived. The first, and the speaker, was an unassuming young girl with long, curly brown hair and dimly violet eyes; the other, a tall figure dressed in black leather with gold and purple accents, a golden sword at his waist. Personifying, in turn, peace and order, they were—

"Empress Nunnally, Master Zero," nodded Schneizel, his difference and respect not only to the ruler of Britannia, but the leader of the Black Knights startling many in the assembly. To the empress, he added, "If it be Her Majesty's wish, I will differ sentencing of this man to you."

"Thank you, Brother Schneizel," said the empress warmly; as much a contrast to her tyrant of a brother as to her despot of a father. When the eyes of the Empress of Britannia fell on him, Jeremiah Gottwald did not hesitate; even bound in restraints as he was, he could not bring himself to stand before her. Unable to kneel, Jeremiah dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

"Your Majesty…" he said with reverence.

"Raise your head, Lord Jeremiah," urged the young empress. "Let me see the face of one who loved by brother so." When he did so, when a single tear stained orange gaze met the tenderly smiling violet, she continued, "You are loyal to my brother, aren't you, Lord Jeremiah?"

"Absolutely, Your Majesty…"

"Even in death?"

"Absolutely, Your Majesty!"

"Is that why…" she paused, her voice trailing away in the silent hall. "Is that why you carried his body away? To protect him, even in death?"

Jeremiah Gottwald did not blink, he did not waver. "Absolutely, Your Majesty!" he repeated. "Until my dying breathe."

Empress Nunnally vi Britannia searched his sole remaining eye. After a time, she smiled. "Your crimes against Britannia cannot be forgiven, nor can your crimes against the world," she said, voice rising to greet the rest of the assembly. "Even I cannot pardon you."

"Your Majesty," began Jeremiah, his face wet with tears. "I have done all that I could for your family; for Britannia. If my life is to meet its end, I will die gladly if it be by your word! I ask only that you spare my family any disgrace." From the assembly, a young girl of sixteen, Lilicia Gottwald, wiped away her tears; it did not help, for she once loved her brother dearly.

"Then I, Nunnally vi Britannia, the 100th Empress of Britannia, declare you, Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, guilty of the crime of treason against the empire!" The assembly of lords and ladies cheered the approval of the decision; their voices one in calling for his death. Empress Nunnally continued, "As punishment, I strip from you of all titles and honors bestowed by the empire and pass them to your family.

"From this day forth: you, Jeremiah Gottwald, are banished from Britannia!" The assembly turned from cheer to outrage; their voices lost amidst a clamor for attention. Even as Prince Schneizel tried to call them to order, their hatred would not be abated. Jeremiah appeared shocked, his lone eye widening. The newly-minted Margravine Lilicia Gottwald looked relieved.

"That man is a murderer!" cried the young Earl Rosenkreuz, his voice finally lifting above the rest. "Please, Your Majesty, I must protest! Think of justice, think of the international community and—"

"The Empress has made her decision, and I have consented to it as well," interrupted Zero, silencing them all; none dared argue against the savior of the world. "Your Majesty, it was you who convinced me to spare this man's life. Please, tell us what has led you to make that decision."

"Millions have died," she began passionately. "The world driven to the brink of madness by hatred and war. If we are to move forward in peace, we must cast aside the grudges of the past and move forward into the future. Too many—" she paused, her voice a tremble with unshed tears. "Have died for it all to amount to nothing."

"You speak with righteousness, Your Majesty," praised Zero, pulling the assembly's attention towards him. "Justice lives in all of us, in our very being, but do not let that thirst, that _instinct_ , for righteousness allow you to be consumed by baser desires like lust for blood and murder. The people of this world have seen the face of their wicked past and named it Lelouch vi Britannia! Would you give this man, a simple knight like many others, the same wicked face?"

Earl Rosenkreuz collapsed back into his chair; his voice alone was not enough to shout down both the Empress of Britannia and Savior of the World. Prince Schneizel, once the greatest ally of the nobility, led the applause not only of Zero's words, but Empress Nunnally's decision. Jeremiah Gottwald was once a man of valor and honor, but on that day he was branded a traitor and exiled from Britannia, forever. How, then, had it come to this?

For him, it was simple; for him, it was a matter of sheer loyalty.

 

* * *

 

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Shinto Teito, United States of Japan:**

Japan was a truly remarkable land. Beaten time and time again by war, held down by occupation, and crushed under the weight of powers beyond itself, Japan had risen from that pit of darkness to become one of the great powers of the new world. As he walked its streets for the first time in fifteen years, summoned here once more by his fealty, Jeremiah Gottwald marveled at the fortitude of a land he had once thought so weak.

All those years ago, long before even his baptism as Orange, he had been lost; Lady Marianne dead, her children lost, and the name of Jeremiah Gottwald stained with dishonor. He had sought a new path, a new course to right himself, and he had chosen Japan. A part of him had wanted to find redemption there, to find Prince Lelouch or Princess Nunnally alive, but a much greater part of him had wanted to die in battle. Either way, he thought to use Japan as a stepping stone, to rise above that disgrace and redeem himself to not only Britannia and the Royal Family, but to himself, or die in the attempt.

He had vowed to become the Knight of One, the mightiest knight of the empire! How fitting, then, that all his dreams were for not; he would never expunge the dishonor from his name, he would never become the Knight of One, and he would never find Prince Lelouch. Instead, the prince would find him; instead, he would be anointed in blood and tears the Knight of Orange. The name Jeremiah would forever more be remembered as the Knight of Orange, an exiled traitor to the empire and the personal shame of the Gottwald family. The thought alone was enough to make him smile; in both amusement and pride, in equal measure.

Japan was a truly remarkable land, capable of surviving any hardship, and it was in that realization the exiled Britannian felt a form of kinship with this country, with the people in it, and began to understand his liege's enduring affection for Japan. It was that rising sense of kinship that almost had him considering transferring his orange farm here, or possibly opening up a second, until—

"Who is that man?"

"Some kind of traveling performer, maybe?"

"Mommy! Mommy! I want to go to the carnival!" The fevered cries and gestures of the small boy only brought more attention as each and every passerby stopped to gape and stare as he made his way along. He had been mindful of his appearance; as a man standing well over six feet in height, with teal hair, he stood out easily amongst the population of mostly Japanese around him. Worried for the possible repercussions of being recognized, he had tried to mitigate this by dressing modestly with a brown trench coat and simple clothes underneath. However—

"Mommy, I want to go the carnival!" the boy tugged at the dress of his assumed mother, eyes pleading.

"But there is no carnival in town," she tried to reason, her face flushed red as the growing crowd shifted between her, her child, and Jeremiah.

"Then why is that man dressed up like he's from one!?" The boy, his face smiling broadly in victory, cast an accusing finger towards Jeremiah and the ornate half-face mask.

Jeremiah Gottwald frowned thinly, eying the boy and his mother not in anger, but vexation. As the left hand of Emperor Lelouch – publicly, anyway; he would never dare claim Lady CC's rightful position – his face was widely known; although perhaps not as infamous as the Knight of Zero, Suzaku Kururugi, he had still worried about being recognized almost immediately after arriving in Japan. Despite the intervening fifteen years since the war, he had not changed much physically; the experiments that left him partly cybernetic doing wonders to also preserve his biological parts. Yet he attracted more attention for his eye-piece than either his face or his name?

"There's got to be a carnival coming up soon," the boy was saying. "There's gotta! Can we go? Can we!?" Whatever the beleaguered mother may have said next was forever lost to the world; the sound of rumbling static the prelude to an explosion.

The concussive force rippled and echoed about the narrow space between buildings; many men and woman knocked down by the shock-wave, mother and son included. With instincts honed as an officer for the occupational guard, Jeremiah Gottwald had braced himself against the onslaught, his partly mechanical body supporting him and keeping him upright. When the deafening explosions had passed and the sound of tearful cries around, the street was left littered with bits of scrap metal. His first thought was terrorism, but this was the world of peace His Majesty had nearly died for. If these were terrorists, disturbing that peace, they would face—

Above, along the roof-tops, another, albeit smaller explosion resounded, casting sparks and bits of flame over the edge that thankfully evaporated quickly before igniting anything else. Jeremiah's ornate eye-piece opened up, revealing not only his Geass Canceller, but a mechanical eye capable of taking in telemetric data. "There they are!" he muttered, his eye identifying three persons. "You will pay dearly for spurning His Majesty's good will."

He would have set off immediately, his mechanical legs allowing him to leap unthinkable distances and almost able to reach them in a single bound, were it not for a third explosion. This one barely sounded in the cramped alley, but it did dislodge an over-hanging bill-board sign that began to topple over and fall towards the street below. Jeremiah could escape easily, but…

"Mommy!" the boy cried, head buried into the waist of his frantic mother, knuckles white with fear. Jeremiah wasted no time; he rushed forward to shield them, his arms extended to catch hold the falling metal sign. The arrested momentum would have crushed any normal man, but Jeremiah Gottwald barely felt the shock even as his gloves were torn and the metal board bent and gave way to the strength of his grip.

Bending the sign slightly, he folded it like one might a simple playing card and set it aside, leaning against nearby maid café. Turning to the boy and his mother, both of whom were gazing up at him in shock, he asked, "Are you alright, madam?"

"We—We're fine, sir," she answered hesitantly, still plainly surprised. "Th-thank you!"

"Think nothing of it, madam," Jeremiah replied easily. "Now, if you are well, I must be off." Nodding stiffly to each before turning, he first leapt atop a nearby parked van, then to a street light, before finally leaping atop the buildings – the stunned awe of the mother and cheerful "thank you, mister!" of the boy trialing behind him as he went. Clearing the ledge, the former soldier surveyed the roof-tops in an instant; he was nearly six stories up, bits of debris and other such detritus was scattered about, and three women stood facing one-another on the next building over.

Two of them were almost identical; the same long black hair split in two and fanning out across their shoulders, the same faded yellow eyes, and the same general features. They were twins, clearly, and that sense of twin-ship extended even to their… Jeremiah Gottwald blinked incredulously; they were both dressed in tight leathered restraints that left their shoulders, abdomens, and thighs exposed and appeared to be some sort of bondage attire.

By contrast, the third was dressed much more conservatively in thigh-lengthened white dress, block stockings and gloves, and a blue ribbons thread through brown hair. Rather than draw his attention for their lack of modesty, the lone girl instead attracted his attention for the massive hammer held at her side; the head of which out-sizing Jeremiah and nearly doubling that of its wielder.

"You keep running like this and we'll keep blasting you, you know?" one of the bondage twins said, having not yet noticed the newest arrival. To punctuate her words, the girl raised her hand… only for a burst of ionized lighting to surge forth and scorch the ground at her side.

The lone girl, hammer held loosely at her side, did not even flinch. "I've no reason to fight you," she said demurely, expression more distant than submissive. "Please leave."

"Why, you—"

"Hikari, calm down," urged the other twin, her voice much more gentle sounding than her twins. To the lone girl, she said, "Look, we saw that guy back there. If we hadn't shown up… He almost winged you, didn't he?" The girl frowned, causing the gentler twin to add, "That's why we're doing this. To save you from creeps like that."

"Yeah," snapped the louder twin. "So co-operate and let us put you out of your own misery before you get snatched by some creep!"

"Hikari…"

"No way, Hibiki!" she shouted. "I've had enough of this! We've been chasing her for nearly an hour now and I'm sick of it! I say, we take her out and—"

"I believe I've heard enough here," interrupted Jeremiah Gottwald, leaping the small distance between the two buildings and attracting the attention of all three women; one angered, two curious. "At first, I thought you were terrorists, but it seems you are nothing more than simple deviants."

"Who are you calling a deviant, bastard!?" shouted Hikari furiously, hand raised and a spark of light already emitting.

Jeremiah scoffed mildly, his one human eye following down her form and pointedly ignoring her attire. "I would call anyone who would seek battle with an innocent a deviant," he answered stiffly, his steps calm and measured as he approached.

"Innocent? You don't know what you're talking about, or who you're dealing with!" To underscore her point, she extended her hand and seemed to actually be able to gather concentrated lightening in her palm before expelling it in the next. As fast, if not faster, than it took him to blink, the ground in front of him exploded, bits of stone and rock flying about.

"Is that all?" he asked mildly, emerging from the cloud of debris unmarred, his pace even.

"Why, you! Hibiki, your hand!"

"Hikari, try not to—" she weakly protested. "He's just a normal human!"

"You asked for it!" screamed Hikari, ignoring her sister's warnings and taking hold of her twin's hand with one arm, the other aimed directly at Jeremiah. "Eat this! _Lightning_!" There was sharped whistling sound, detectable to Jeremiah only by the grace of his mechanical ear-drums, followed in short order by a series of hisses and the faint smell of burning air. All of this took a mere fraction of a second, but still the Knight of Orange had time to raise his right hand in time to meet the rush of oncoming energy. Blue and purple arcs of lighting coursing through his body, Jeremiah felt that bits of flesh he still had tingle at the sudden stimulation even as his mechanical parts seemed to stutter.

"I see," he said, mind elsewhere even as blood began to dribble from his lips. "It is all becoming clear to me now. Yes, your power seems to be based on manipulating the air pressure density around us and artificially inducing a controlled current of energy. Yes, quiet interesting, indeed…" Even as the twins balked at the casual explanation of their abilities by a man obviously _bleeding_ , their shock was made all the more apparent when he kept moving. Jeremiah Gottwald had not broken his stride even once; only at last stopping upon reaching the lone girl's side.

"My apologies, miss," he said to her by way of greeting, one hand raised to rest over his heart as he inclined his head. "I'm afraid you seem to have found yourself in a spot of trouble with these deviants. Please, allow me to handle them. Ah!" he suddenly exclaimed, his lone eye rising to meet her. "Where are my manners? My name is Jeremiah Gottwald. And your name, miss?"

"Yashima," she answered hesitantly, eyes wide as she watched a drop of blood fall form his cheek. "Sekirei _No. 84_ , Yashima…"

"Sekirei, you say?" asked Jeremiah surprised, his mind already reassessing the situation with that new piece of information. "It seems this is all more than a simple coincidence after all."

"Y- _you_!" stuttered Hikari, eyes wide and a finger pointed accusingly. "How are you still standing!? You're just a human!"

"How, you ask?" questioned Jeremiah, turning his back stand between the twins and Miss Yashima. "It's sheer loyalty. My mind has been improved and remade so that I may better serve my master."

"Master?" wondered Hibiki and Yashima aloud.

Hikari, however—"Master, huh? Guess that explains it. You're a Sekirei, too."

"But I've never heard of a Sekirei with two names? Well, besides…"

"Doesn't matter," dismissed her twin, a satisfied smirk appearing on her face. "We don't usually take on winged Sekirei, but we'll make an exception for you…"

"How generous," he laughed. "I'm honored."

"Oh, you are gonna regret this day!" she cackled darkly, a charge of blue energy appearing around her; her sister reluctantly doing the same. "First, I'll wipe that grin of your face and then I'll take care of that girl behind you."

"I'm Sekirei _No. 11_ , Hikari…"

"And I'm Hibiki, No. 12…"

"My name is Jeremiah Gottwald…" he announced proudly, bowing slightly. "The Knight of Orange." To the girl behind him, he added, "Stay behind me, Miss Yashima. I'll protect you."

"You'll… protect me?" she repeated back, her face flushing slightly.

"Not if I have any say about it!" shouted Hikari, one hand locked with her sister as the other shot forth burst of lightning.

"Not this time!" Jeremiah exclaimed, jumping to the side with an in-human amount of speed and dexterity, narrowly avoiding the rush of light that scorched the spot he had just been standing. "My turn…" he muttered quietly, his hand offer a subtle twist and releasing his arm-mounted blade. "Prepare yourselves!" he warned, his Geass Canceller opening up once more; as his human eyes focused on his foes, his mechanical one processed the telemetric data around him. Jeremiah Gottwald charged forward, blade at his side.

"H- _he_ dodged it?" Hibiki was shocked. He was not really a Sekirei, was he?

"Not a second time, he won't!" her sister proclaimed, another jab of her hand emitting another rush of energy; there was a pop in the air, the rush of wind, and then—

" _I see it!_ " he thought, his false eye allowing him to detect the change in the atmosphere and predict where the burst of lightning would strike. Rather than jump either to the side or back, Jeremiah jumped over it, only landing gracefully back down on the ground seconds after it had hit. He was almost in range now!

"You won't get lucky again!" she yelled. To her sister, she said, "Hibiki, we do this together!"

"R-right!" she agreed, too stunned by a normal human evading two of their attacks to argue against this now. Their hands tightening in the other's grip, the twin sisters both extended a hand out towards their rapidly approaching foe: " _Lightning_!" they both chanted. It was almost instantaneous; what had taken one of them seconds, took the sisters working together fractions of a second. Jeremiah's eye wailed in alarm, urging him to escape; the air pressure changed, the static of electrical discharge all around him only heralding the rush of energy. Even with his super-human reflexes, even with a mechanical body that made him more than human, he did not have enough time to escape.

Left without a chance of escape, Jeremiah Gottwald decided to attack. "For His Majesty!" he scream, arm raised to slash at the twins even at a surge lightning barreled its way towards him. Before it could make contact, however, it happened; Jeremiah felt it, the familiar vibration in his eye as the Geass Canceller activated. Within seconds, the area was caught in a dome of blue light unable to be seen by anyone else and in the next moment the dome was gone. The barreling bit of controlled lightning did not vanish or fade away, but the Geass Canceller seemed to have destabilized it somewhat.

The twins' eyes widened in shock and disbelief as their attack appeared to fizzle out before reaching their target; the bits of remaining static electrical energy firing off in random directions, not one of them touching him. Jeremiah was given an entirely unobstructed path towards his target and his seized that opening, his arm-mounted blade aiming for the joined hands of the sisters. " _If I can sever their link,_ " he reasoned internally. " _I can cut them off from their full power!_ "

Hikari, the louder of the twins, seemed to realize what he planned because she quickly pushed her sister out of the way, leaving her own back exposed to Jeremiah's blade. Hibiki was knocked back by her sister, but given a full on view as the blade sunk first in Hikari's shoulder before slicing its way down her side, a bit of blood trailing away as it exited her hip. Hikari dropped, blissfully unconscious on the floor.

"H-Hikari!" cried Hibiki, rushing to her sister's side. "Hikari…!"

"D-damn it, where's Seo…" muttered the girl, her eyes fluttering open only to close in the next instance.

"It seems I am the victor," said Jeremiah Gottwald. Hibiki, eyes wet with tears, turned to see him tower over them; his blade, still dripping with her sister's blood, resting at his side. "Or do you still intend to fight?"

"No," she answered weakly. If Hikari died, then… "I just want to help my sister."

"Then you had best be on your way," he said plainly, flicking the blood off his weapon before retracting it. "The time may yet come when we are to do battle once more, but I have received no such orders to take the life of your sister from my master. Besides," he sighed wearily, turning away. "I try to avoid fighting women whenever possible." His lone eye trialing over to No. 84, he added, "I ask only that you refrain from tormenting that girl any further."

"Right…" she breathed out, relief coming to her. "We won't bother No. 84 ever again!" Wasting no more time, Hibiki quickly took her sister into her arms and ran away as fast as she could; leaping frist to another roof-top, then another, before dropping down to the streets below and out of view.

Jeremiah Gottwald watched her go from the edge of sight, a thoughtful frown on his face even as he came to stand before the finally Sekirei remaining.

"Th-thank you…" said the girl shyly, her tone gentle and quiet. "For protecting me."

"Think nothing of it, madam," he waved away her concerns. "I was merely doing my duty by upholding His Majesty's peace." When the girl made no move to either leave or respond, he continued, "Miss Yashima—"

"Yes…" she seemed strangely exited.

"—Is there somewhere I can escort you?" he offered, his personal code not allowing him to leave a young damsel unattended after such an ordeal.

Sekirei _No. 84_ , Yashima, smiled gently; Jeremiah thought it reminded him greatly of his sister, Lilicia.

 

* * *

 

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Hiyamakai Hospital, Shinto Teito:**

"Where is the master? I want to see him," growled Sekirei _No. 31_ , Sai; the contrast between her deathly glare and puffed up cheeks making her look more like a petulant child than anything else. "I haven't seen him all week…"

Teru Kakizaki withheld a sigh, answering as he had time and time again: "Higa-sama is currently busy with a very important meeting," he said with measured patience. "If he has time afterwards, I can try and schedule you an appointment. If that is unacceptable, I can pass along any relevant information and—"

"This isn't about any mission!" she interrupted, her face flushing in anger. "I just want to see him! He's my—" she hesitated, obviously refraining from saying Ashikabi; Izumi Higa was not fond of that word. "He's my boss," she decided instead, clearly proud with herself for the misdirection. "Isn't it normal for an employee to see their boss?"

Except Kakizaki saw right through that simple change of words. "Higa-sama is currently busy with a meeting," he repeated without inflection, adjusting his square-frame spectacles in a way he knew annoyed her. "If you would like me to try and schedule an appointment, I—"

"W-why can't I see him!?" she stammered, her narrow eyes misting slightly; combined with her naturally short and petite statue, she really did look like a child now. "He… He's not mad at me, is he?" She blanched, her face going pale; she had been forced to report to Kakizaki about Kaiha's termination by some unknown pair; Higa-sama had not even allowed her to see him. If Higa-sama was upset with her for…

This time, Kakizaki did sigh; it was times like these he hated being Izumi Higa's personal assistant. "Higa-sama is the company CEO," he reminded her, not so gently. "He doesn't have time to entertain every passing whim you happen to have. If you would like his attention—"

"I do, I do!" she repeated enthusiastically, actually bouncing on her feet as she did.

"Then try and be more capable," he finished coldly, looking down on her with a side-long glance. "You remember your contract, don't you? Higa-sama has no use for—"

"Weaklings, I know," muttered Sai faintly, her expression sullen. More audibly, she asked, "Then what can I do? Go catch more Sekirei or something?" Her face said plenty about how she felt about that idea. In her opinion, Higa-sama already had more than enough Sekirei.

"No, that would be a bad idea," answered Kakizaki, surprising her. "For the moment, any reckless operations would only result in more pointless loses."

"Because of those two, right? The ones who attacked Kaiha and me?"

"Precisely," he nodded. "Our sources were able to confirm the woman was a Sekirei, but she was officially declared a Scrapped Number."

"Scrapped Number?" Sai wondered aloud. "What the hell is that?"

Kakizaki sent her a short glance; he was surprised she did not already know. "A Scrapped Number is a Sekirei that is incapable of emerging," he explained, causing Sai's face to go white with shock. "In this state, they cannot utilize their full power. A defective product, or so the MBI records say." Kakizaki shrugged, non-committal; he was not familiar enough with Sekirei biology to reach a conclusive decision on the matter, but according to MBI such a state was unstable and a likely hazard.

"So Kaiha got killed by a defective hussy like that?" Sai growled now, her typical demeanor returning to her. "Next time I see her, I'll—"

"Worth remembering, however," interrupted Kakizaki chidingly. "Is that, prior to being scrapped, she was Sekirei _No. 07_ , Akitsu." Although they had yet to confirm the matter, apparently Single Numbers were supposed to be much stronger than the rest. "It would be unwise to underestimate such an opponent at this time."

"Fine, fine, I get it…" she grumbled angrily, crossing her arms. "Then who's the dude? Her Ashikabi?"

"Completely unknown," Kakizaki began, adjusting his glasses once more; the instruments attempting to slide away as he looks down at the much shorter girl. "Since the Sekirei was a Scrapped Number, we were unable to trace her Ashikabi. Since 'LL' is obviously a fake name,"—he sighed mentally; some people were so childish—"And 'black hair, blue eyes' isn't much of a description. The fact he's a Britannian helps some, but…" Japan had recovered greatly from the war, but with the UFN… Well, the borders between one nation and the next looked to be getting thinner every year. "Frankly, it's not much to go on."

"So you don't know squat?" huffed Sai disdainfully. "What? That pet of your's not good for nothin'?"

Teru Kakizaki was an Ashikabi, but he was not Sai's Ashikabi. Instead, he was the Ashikabi to—"Her existence, and her abilities, are to remain secret," he said sternly, his eyes narrowing menacingly down at the girl. She flinched, sensing the change in mood. No one insulted his— "Do you understand, No. 31? Or do I have to report this breach of secrecy to Higa-sama?"

"N-nah, it's fine!" she hurried to say, hands raised defensively. "I won't say a word about her!"

Kakizaki sighed, composing himself briefly before continuing, "We are currently investigating him, but have yet to find any leads. At least directly."

"Directly?"

"At this point in the Sekirei Plan," he began, easily defaulting into lecture mode. "It is safe to conclude that Higa-sama is the most powerful Ashikabi currently active. In fact, we out-number or closest rival, Hayato Mikogami, by nearly two-to-one odds. To say nothing of the Ashikabi that have only one or two Sekirei." Which was most others, in fact.

"Yeah, I know that," scoffed Sai, scowling. "How does that help us with these two? I'm askin' about this LL bastard, not Miko-whats-it."

Kakizaki sighed openly, this time in frustration. She really was simple. "It's obvious if you think about it," he tried explaining. "This early in the game, with so many targets to choose from, why actively attract the attention of the most powerful Ashikabi, Higa-sama? Why not go after some-one weaker? Or focus on trying to build up their numbers? Why go after us, specifically, and even within our own territory?" Izumi Higa controlled most, if not all, of East Shinto Teito; the Hiyamakai Hospital was there, as was the Higa Corporation building, both of which belonged either directly to Izumi Higa or his family.

"'Cause they're stupid," offered Sai blandly.

"Potentially," he conceded mildly. "But far more likely is this: they are confident in their ability to face us."

"What!? No way! How?"

Kakizaki smiled imperiously, looking down on her both literally and figuratively. "Simple," he said smugly. "Since there are only really two possible ways that could be true. Either, one, they have a sufficiently powerful enough team of Sekirei already and they think they can stand against us…" A blatant impossibility, especially this early in the game; to have any hope of standing against their numbers an Ashikabi would need ten, at minimum, Sekirei to justify the sort of brazen attack this LL had made. "Or, and this is more likely…"

"Or, or what!?"

"They have the support of another Ashikabi behind them," he finished grandly, his lips twitching all the while. "Or, at least, they think they do."

"Another Ashikabi's help?" considered Sai, her face looking pensive as she tried to figure it out. Her eyes widened. "Wait, you mean…?"

Teru Kakizaki nodded, amused, and said, "Exactly. Since there is no way any here-to unknown Ashiakbi could gather an army without us noticing, they would need to already be active within the game, already known to us, which means…"

"It's that Miko-whos-it you mentioned before, right!?" interrupted Sai, her facing flushing in pride. "See, I figured it out."

He eyed her skeptically, but nodded all the same. "Yes, it must be Hayato Mikogami," he confirmed. "He probably found someone, gave them this Scrapped Number, and is trying to impede Higa-sama's progress by forcing us on our guard. By using a proxy with a ridiculous name like 'LL' he can claim neutrality, stay our hand and avoid all-out war, while still trying to inflict losses on us." A pretty ingenious plan, honestly, but they never accounted for the very powerful "inside source" the East has in its arsenal. If their information were more limited, if they did not have a way to access MBI's serves, Mikogami's plan might have actually worked.

"Losses? Like Kaiha, you mean…" murmured Sai faintly; she had always liked the little psycho girl. They had a bit in common. "Damn him, this Miko-whats-it! And damn that LL bastard, too! So, what's the plan? When do we storm Miko-whos-it's place?"

Adjusting his glasses, Kakizaki said, "We are still waiting on some key bits of information before we make our move, but currently the plan is to wait."

"And let them get away with this!? We need to get out there and fight!"

"Oh, we won't be inactive," corrected Kakizaki, smirking. "Higa-sama still intends to send out teams and secure more Sekirei, but we'll have to increase the team numbers. Two Sekirei will not be enough, not against a former Single Number. By my assessment, three, no—four Sekirei should be plenty to secure a target and eliminate this LL and his Scrapped Number should they appear."

"The next mission," began Sai confidently, eyes meeting his evenly. "I want in. I want to—" To prove she was not weak, to avenge Kaiha, and to get Higa-sama's attention. She was a Sekirei, after all. What else could she want? "I want to fight for Higa-sama."

Teru Kakizaki smiled. Higa-sama really did have such devoted employees.

 

* * *

 

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Northside, Shinto Teito:**

They were attracting a great deal of attention, observed Jeremiah Gottwald bemusedly, and it was not because he once served the dreaded Demon Emperor.

"Why is that girl carrying around a giant hammer?"

"It must be fake, right?" reasoned another. "No way a small girl like that could even lift it otherwise." Regardless, both Jeremiah and his charge, Yashima, had an unobstructed path along one of Shinto Teito's busiest walk-ways as persons after persons immediately crossed to the other side of the street upon noticing their approach. Internally, Jeremiah found it rather amusing; that a tiny slip of girl like her could inspire such reactions while he was left unnoticed.

Still… "Miss Yashima," he said clearly, audible enough for his walking companion to hear over the dull murmurs of the passing crowds.

"Yes, Gottobaruto-san?" asked Yashima, the girl turning her head slightly in his direction, her giant hammer balanced casually against her shoulder even as the handle occasionally scraped against the ground. "Is there something the matter, Gottobaruto-san?"

His lone eye-brow tilting, he corrected automatically: "It's Gottwald."

"Gotto-bau…" she tried again, the foreign word difficult for her to pronounce. Jeremiah nodded in realization; something similar had happened during his Pureblood days. Many of the Eleve—Ah, _Japanese_ under his command had been unable to pronounce his name properly either. Of course, they had just defaulted to a more formal "my lord" afterwards. "I'm sorry, Gotto-san…" she was saying, mistaking his reminiscence for displeasure.

"Think nothing of it, Miss Yashima," he hurried to assuage her fears. "If it's too difficult for you, please, call me Jeremiah."

Yashima blushed faintly, no doubt the result of some Japanese custom about naming etiquette. Really, during his time here, such sensitivities were beyond him, but Jeremiah supposed times had changed. "Thank you…" she said faintly. "Jeremia-san."

"It's Jeremiah," he said automatically, but quickly retracted. "Ah, never-mind, Miss Yashima. It's not important."

"Yes, Jere-san," she agreed, mispronouncing it further. "Is there something you wanted to ask me, Jere-san?"

Deciding to set aside the naming issue, Jeremiah Gottwald instead—"Is there a particular destination you had in mind, Miss Yashima?" he asked calmly. He had offered to escort her home, his personal code as a knight not allowing him to leave a fair maiden's side after such an incident, but… Well, they had been walking aimlessly about the streets of Shinto Teito for nearly three hours now. "Do you have a home, or place of residence I can take you?"

"A… home?" she repeated, head tilting to the side in confusion.

"Yes, a home," he repeated again, voice patient. "The place where you sleep at night."

"Oh!" her eyes widened, seemingly in recognition. "No, I don't have a home." …And then she kept walking, her eyes not once turning towards him or her lips moving to explain. Jeremiah followed at her side calmly, his vow to escort her not letting him waver. After crossing another block, making a turn, and walking back up the street they had crossed a hour previously, Yashima spoke again, "Are you a Sekirei, Jere-san?"

"I am not. I'm human," he answered honestly, or at least mostly. Technically, the experiments conducted on him were not extensive enough to really change his species.

"But that term doesn't surprise you? Sekirei?"

"It does not," he said easily, seeing no reason to hide. "In fact, if I understand the matter correctly, my master is betrothed to a Sekirei." Which, admittedly, was not much; he had been there that day in the throne-room of imperial Kyoto to see Lady Karasuba's enchanting wings, had listened in stupefied disbelief as Hiroto Minaka had explained the existences known as Sekirei, but still… "What of yourself, Miss Yashima? Are you a Sekirei?"

"I am. I have been since… forever," she said without reservation, a small fist rising up to seemingly touch her heart. Looking back at him, she spoke quietly, "I'm happy for your master. He's going to be married."

Jeremiah refrained from commenting on that. The last he had seen of Lady Karasuba, she was a mere child, and there was the matter of Lady CC to consider, and His Majesty's immortality, too. Internally, Jeremiah shook away such thoughts; as a knight, it was not his place to question his liege in anything, least of all romance. "Do I detect a sense of sadness in your tone, Miss Yashima?" he asked her. Reaching into the folds of his coat, he withdrew a handkerchief, offering it to her. "As a gentlemen, it would be beneath me to abide a lady's tears."

Yashima eyed the piece of folded cloth in confusion briefly, only for her eyes to widen in the next moment and laugh faintly. Her hand rising to cover her mouth, Sekirei _No. 84_ , Yashima laughed lightly, her face tinted red. "That," said Jeremiah, gesturing towards her smile. "Is a continence more befitting a lady."

Blushing brightly, she stopped; turning towards him fully, she said, "Thank you, Jere-sama!"

"Think nothing of it, madam," he answered, stopping as well; a hand coming to rest over his heart, head bowed. "It was merely my duty as a knight to offer my compliments to a lady."

She laughed once more, this time much more freely, and was about to speak when—

"Yashima!" interrupted a voice, immediately causing her stiffen in place. "Damn it, there you are, Yashima! I've been lookin' all over this city for ya, babe!" The new arrival was a young man, seemingly twenty-odd, with bedraggled brown hair, narrow eyes, and wearing a no-doubt ever-present smirk.

"Do you know this young man?" asked Jeremiah Gottwald, moving to stand between the two more on instinct than any factual observation.

"He… He's been following me," she said, her voice trembling. It was then Jeremiah recalled the words of the twins from earlier; about a man that had been pursuing Yashima. It was at that moment, Jeremiah Gottwald decided this person had lost the right to be called a man.

"After those two sluts in the gimp outfits interrupted our little rendezvous, I thought for sure I had lost my chance," they boy said, he tongue moving to moisten his tongue. His hand raising up, he gestured towards himself. "Come here, babe, and we can finish what we started back then."

As Yashima took a step back, clearly afraid of this boy, Jeremiah took a step forward. "This young woman is under my protection," he said sternly, lone eye narrowed as he moved to follow shield his charge with his body. "I'll not have the lady going anywhere she doesn't wish."

A scowling forming on his face, the boy scoffed. "And who the hell are you?" Then seemingly realizing something, he angrily added, "Wait, bitch! Have you been cheating on me already with this freak!?"

"I'll not tolerate insults!" shouted Jeremiah, his sharp tone causing the boy to falter and Yashima to turning her attention to him. "If you've something to say, say it to me. We can settle this like men."

"Pft…" he scoffed, spitting at the ground. "And who are you supposed to be? Huh? Some jester?"

"I am Jeremiah Gottwald," he answered proudly. "The Knight of Orange, and I'll expect you to remember that!"

"Orange, huh?" he laughed. "Well, I'm Junichi Tanigawa and you're standing between me and what's mine. Beat it!"

"That decision, I leave to Miss Yashima," Jeremiah said shortly. Turning to the girl at his side, he asked, "Miss Yashima, is this the man I was escorting you to?"

Yashima looked up at him with wide, grey colored eyes; they were moist with unshed tears and her lips were trembling, but… "No, Jere-sama. I want to stay with you," she said, her voice not wavering in the slightest.

"There you have it," nodded Jeremiah stiffly, looking back towards the boy. "I expect you'll abide by the lady's wishes and leave now."

"She doesn't know anything," dismissed Tanigawa, a hand waving away not only Jeremiah's words, but Yashima's freedom. "Just a bitch who needs to be taught a lesson. But, now that I think about it—" he trailed off, a cruel smile forming. "You must one of them, too, right? A Sekirei?" He laughed, nodding to himself as he began to move, taking causal steps towards Jeremiah. "You must be to have not already claimed her for yourself."

"What nonsense are you babbling about?"

"I heard you Sekirei are just a bunch of toys…" he explained, smirking. He took another step. "That you'll do anything your master tells you to… and only after a single kiss. At least, that's what the rumor on the net is."

"I see…" sighed Jeremiah, his guard relaxing. "I thought you a boy in need of being taught manners, but you're really just a beast. Be gone, pest! You're not worth my time."

"Oh, I don't think so…" said Junichi Tanigawa, coming to stand before him. The beast was tall, only slightly shorter than Jeremiah, and it was that height that allowed him to move. Only because Jeremiah had dismissed this cretin as a threat, only because Jeremiah could not even fathom the reasoning that would have compelled this worm, and only because he was already forcing himself to hold back and keep from killing this vile and multifarious toad, was Junichi Tanigawa able to reach up, take hold of Jeremiah's chin, and kiss him.

Immediately, Tanigawa pulled back, spitting on the ground as he did. "Disgusting," he scoffed. "Kissing a dude. Ah, well… At least I got me some muscle to—" He got no further. The moment Jeremiah realized what had happened, the moment his mind had processed it, his hand was moving. Fist clenched, Jeremiah Gottwald's hand collided with the cheek-bone of Junichi Tanigawa; there was a satisfying crunch before the momentum reached him and the… _thing_ calling itself Junichi Tanigawa was sent flying.

His body skipped across hard stone like a smooth pebble might water before wrapping itself around a nearby sign-post. "Be thankful," said Jeremiah through gritted teeth, enraged. "That I managed to hold back or your head would have been removed cleanly from your body…"

"'ou st'pid, b'st'rd!" Junichi Tanigawa gurgled around broken teeth and from behind the curtain of blood pouring down his face. "My f'ce! Wh'd h'vd y'u d'nd to m' f'cd?"

"Improved it," answered Jeremiah simply, barely able to understand the cretin's words. "Now your ugliness of character is expressed clearly on your face for all to see."

Junichi Tanigawa managed to push himself up, his arms and legs struggling under his own weight, but he was at last able to stand; supported by some sort of twisted power Jeremiah Gottwald wanted nothing to do with. "I'll k'll you, b'st'rd!" he screamed in impotent rage, hands waving erratically even as he withdrew a small pocket knife of some sort. Even if it had been a sword, even if its wielder had not been near death, a thing like Junichi Tanigawa could never harm a man, a _knight_ , like Jeremiah Gottwald!

"Di'!" Junichi Tanigawa screamed, only to scream louder when Jeremiah grabbed the knife from his hand, twisted Tanigawa's wrist, and shattered the insect's elbow with a jab of the other hand.

Jeremiah Gottwald tossed the beast aside, leaving him to run away impotently. "Maybe this," he said, watching the wastrel flee. "Will teach you some humility!" When that thing was well out of sight, he nodded, satisfied. Turning to the young girl at his side, Jeremiah was paused.

Yashima was staring up at him, her cool eyes a swirl of emotion and activity too momentous for the old knight to describe; her breathe came in ragged heaves, and her face was flushed crimson. "M-miss Yashima," he asked, stunned. Fearing she might topple over, he placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her movements. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Miss Yashima…" Thinking that was the most likely cause of her distress, he added, "That was not my intention. If it pleases you, I can depart immediately and—"

"No!" she practically yelled, her voice desperate and tinged with both fear and madness. "Don't leave… You can't leave… Not after I've found you…"

"Found me?" asked Jeremiah Gottwald dumbly, his lone eyes blinking in confusion. "Whatever do you mean, Miss Yashim—" He tried to speak, tried to understand, but rather than words, Sekirei _No. 84_ , Yashima spoke with actions: she wrapped small yet strong fists into his jacket and practically pulled herself up the nearly two feet in height difference between them. Then, she kissed him.

Compared to the cretin, Yashima's lips were soft, tender. Compared to any other woman Jeremiah Gottwald had ever known, her skin was smooth, pliable, and against every instinct he possessed— against his codes of knighthood, against his honor as a man, and against his sworn duty to his liege, Jeremiah Gottwald, the man and not the knight, kissed back more fiercely than he would have ever thought himself capable.

He only vaguely noticed the shroud of azure light that surrounded them, only vaguely realized that light must be emitting from this girl. Instead, Jeremiah Gottwald relished the feeling of the girl in his arms, of the smile on her face, and the beating of his human heart, and decided to cast all other thoughts and concerns aside for another day. He decided that was a good decision.

And he kissed her again.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the orange tin man found a heart and I loved writing that way too much!
> 
> Jeremiah and the Geass Canceler were always planned for this story, yet originally he felt lacking as a character. He fought and followed L.L.'s orders, but had nothing to really do outside of that. Then I had this idea with Yashima -- and it exploded in this chapter. Turned out so good.
> 
> Let me know if you agree, or if I am just overly excited here! Make sure to comment and leave your Kudos if you liked it! ...And make sure to comment and tell me why if you did not!


	6. Sixth Feather: The Game Master

_Sixth Feather:_ **The Game Master**

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Room #010, 25** **th** **Floor, Tokyo Executive Suites, Shinto Teito:**

LL looked up, setting aside his open computer, the Ashikabi file he had been reading, and his still steaming cup of afternoon tea. Upon arrival, his loyal knight, Jeremiah Gottwald, had dropped to a kneeling position; one arm over his heart, the other across his back in a sign of enduring fealty. That he expected. The girl at Jeremiah's side, however… She was young, or at least appeared to be, with a soft and innocent expression that contrasted greatly with the massive hammer she held easily at her side. The girl— the _Sekirei_ , LL was sure, looked calmly between Jeremiah and LL before a light of understanding reached her eyes. She did not kneel as the Knight of Orange had, but she did offer him a deep bow of respect.

For his part, LL's eyes of amethyst drifted between the two, considering. There were only so many possibilities, so many answers that even his intelligent mind could think of, to explain why Jeremiah Gottwald, the loyal knight, would have brought this girl before him, at least without first disarming her. But first—"Jeremiah," he nodded by way of greeting. "I was not expecting you so soon." He had only made the call, summoning the knight to his side for the first time in five years, less that thirty-six hours previously.

"I live to serve, Your Majesty," said the knight, head bowed and tone reverent. "After receiving your summons, I immediately made arrangements to set aside all my duties at the farm, leaving them to my partner, and hastened to your side." Jeremiah Gottwald's farm, the oddly named _Justice Gentlemen Orange Farm_ , was situated in a quiet corner of the United States of France; it was by no means a lucrative business, but it had been sufficient to financially support Jeremiah and his business partner—

"I'm sure Anya was none too pleased with that," smiled LL bemusedly. The former Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim, had given up her position almost immediately after the war and had joined Jeremiah on his little orange farm. LL was not sure exactly what the relationship between the two was; they certainly were not lovers, but they were not really father and daughter, either. In the end, "partners" was probably as accurate as anything else.

"She was most understanding," he answered, head still bowed and body still genuflected.

Frowning, LL urged the knight, "Rise, Jeremiah Gottwald. Face me."

"My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," he said, voice stern but stiff. He did not rise. "I cannot fulfill that command. I have—"

"You have not betrayed me, Jeremiah," finished LL for him, already aware of what was troubling the loyal Knight of Orange. His eyes moving towards the girl, he added, "I think it is time you introduced your companion."

"Your Majesty, I…" he choked briefly, lone eye misting slightly, but he obeyed. "Your Majesty, I present to you Sekirei _No. 84_ , Yashima." He paused, some-what hesitant to add, "She has declared herself to me."

The now-named Yashima bowed deeply, her form lowered almost as far as Jeremiah's, but she did not speak. Instead—"Yashima-san," began LL, forcing the girl's eyes to meet him. "Is this true? Have you chosen my knight to be your Ashikabi?"

"I have, yes," she answered without hesitation, her face flushing with pride and devotion when she added, "Jere-sama is my Ashikabi."

Jeremiah looked up at her, raising his head for the first time, but he did not speak. LL nodded easily, unsurprised; he had expected as much. "And do you know who I am?" he asked.

"You are Jere-sama's Master," she said plainly, rising to meet his gaze. "And you also have a Sekirei, but I do not know your name. Sorry, Jere-sama's Master." She bowed deeply again, her apology sincere.

"Think nothing of it," he waved away her concern. "You can call me LL. This man, Jeremiah Gottwald, is my most loyal knight."

"Your Majesty, I…" he tried to say, his voice trembling. "I am unworthy…"

"Jeremiah's loyalty to me is without question," continued LL, ignoring the anguished knight's words. To the Sekirei, he added, "But your loyalty is not. Tell me, Sekirei-san, are you loyal to me?"

"I am not, LL-sama," she said instantly, her voice unapologetic and without reservation.

"Miss Yashima, you—!" began Jeremiah in startled outrage, only to be silenced by his emperor's raised hand.

"But you are loyal to Jeremiah, my knight?" pressed LL, his true amethyst eyes looking deeply into the Sekirei's lustrous grey. "Loyal to him without question?"

"Absolutely, LL-sama," she said evenly. Her gaze shifting over to the kneeling knight, her eyes meeting his lone visible one, she confessed, "I love him."

"M-miss Yashima…" Jeremiah Gottwald tried to speak, to answer or make some form of response, but he failed miserably. He was a knight, not a poet.

"Sekirei are unique beings, Jeremiah," LL spoke instead, bringing the attention of both to him. "Capable of astounding displays of affection and loyalty, their dedication to their Ashikabi is absolute."

"But, Your Majesty, I have—"

"You have not betrayed me, Orange Boy," corrected LL again, smiling slightly at the old insult that had taken on new meaning. "The Sekirei Plan may be a battle to the end, but it is a battle of our own choosing. Yashima's first loyalty may be to you, but… Well, I intend to win this game, Jeremiah Gottwald. Do you intend to help me?"

"With my utmost, Your Majesty!" he declared, his earnest and sincere devotion as plain on his face now as it was fifteen years at a Tokyo train station.

"Then you have not betrayed me," he repeated easily. "You've simply brought another piece for my board."

Jeremiah Gottwald was pleased with his liege's enduring approval; Sekirei _No 84_ , Yashima, was merely pleased to stay at Jeremiah's side, but LL… He frowned in consideration, his thoughts on the future of the Sekirei Plan and how this most recent development may change his plans; not only for dealing with Izumi Higa, but for the game as a whole. Neither had pleasant implications, but the one-time ruler of the world had never been willing to accept uncertainty, and the best way to change that was with information.

"Tell me, Jeremiah… How did this happen?"

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Hiyamakai Hospital, Shinto Teito:**

Kujou's knees hit the hard floor with a jarring shock, a wince of pain shooting up her spine. Her white shirt and frilly black skirt, once so puffy and cute, was ripped and tattered along the edges; her comfy stockings and soft elbow-length gloves scratched and torn in various places. Her normally well-kept, soft, clean, and long blonde hair was matted with sweat and blood; her blood even! Really, Kujou decided puffing up her cheeks in indignation, this was no way to treat a girl! Especially one as cute and adorable as her!

"Quit squirming, you bitch!" gripped Sekirei _No. 31_ , Sai, from her side; the much shorter, flatter, and plainer looking girl holding tightly to Kujou's left arm. On her other side, the much taller, frightening, and uglier looking Sekirei _No. 16_ , Toyotama did much the same to her right arm; her long black hair framing a rather masculine looking face that was busy glaring at the back of Kujou's head.

Absently, Kujou came to the only reasonable conclusion there could possibly be made from this situation: they were jealous of her good looks. Nodded, satisfied with her astute reasoning, the Ribbon Sekirei called upon the multitude of black, lacy ribbons that adorned her attire. Maybe a little punishment would show these naughty girls not to mess with her!

Kujou smiled in their grasp, waiting for their grips to slacken when her beloved ribbons beat them up, only to widen her eyes in surprise and shock when she looked down. There, sprawled across the floor and pooling around her, were the torn and battered ribbons of which she was so fond. Sai, seeing her torn expression, smirked widely, saying, "You forget already, dumb-ass? We already broke your stupid ribbons."

Oh, yes, that was right… Kujou remembered it now, honestly surprised she forget about it. These two brutes, Sai and Toyotama, as well as those other two who had not even introduced themselves, had attacked her, beaten her up, and brought her here… where-ever here was, exactly. They must be criminals, then! Nodding, satisfied with her astute reasoning, Kujou did the only sensible thing left to her: "Help! Help! Somebody help me, I've been kidnapped by a brute and a child!"

"Who are you calling a child!?" screamed Sai enraged, threatening violence and all sorts of mean things.

On Kujou's other side, Toyotama was much less forgiving; slackening her grip with one hand, No. 16 quickly back-handed the bawling Ribbon Sekirei. "Be quiet, girl," Toyotama ordered sternly, cold blue eyes staring into the teary-eyed gaze of a whimpering Kujou. "The master wants to speak with you…"

"The master?" wondered Kujou, her tears and pleas for help evaporating in the midst of this new mystery. She loved mysteries! Looking about the room she found herself trapped in by two brutish Sekirei, she was very disappointed; rather than a super-secret dungeon, or a special moon base, Kujou found herself pressed against the floor of a rather boring looking office. The walls were empty, not a single bit of decoration on any of them, and the wide desk was as sparsely decorated, too, with the exception of a few pieces of paper piled neatly in the corner.

There was also a big, high backed desk chair facing away from her, and Kujou could just make out the sight of crossed legs on the other side. That chair's occupant must be the so-called master! Nodding, satisfied with her astute reasoning, Kujou said, "That's him in the chair, right? Well, am I gonna meet him or what?"

Toyotama did not respond, but Sai growled angrily. "That's not any of your business, you—" she tried to yell, but was stopped short.

"That's enough," interrupted the voice of the so-called master; the legs behind the chair uncrossing to allow him to rise up gracefully. Silhouetted by the setting sun outside as he was, Kujou could not see his face clearly, but he was obviously male and was wearing a pristine white suit, a blue undershirt, and had a cheery red tie to bring the outfit together. All and all, Kujou decided there was no way this man could be a brute; he was too well-dressed!

Walking around the desk to stand directly before the captive Sekirei, the man smiled easily; the motion setting his harsh looking eyes in a new, much gentler light. "My name is Izumi Higa," he introduced himself, offering his hand to her, palm up and fingers extended. "Please, tell me your name…?"

Sai and Toyotama, seeing their master's gesture, released the pinned girl's arm, allowing Kujou to reach up and take his hand gracefully. With Izumi Higa's help, she pulled herself up, only to smile brightly upon seeing his face; it was handsome, with well cared for brown hair combed perfectly to frame his face. Well-dressed and handsome, he must be a gentleman! Nodding, satisfied with her astute reasoning, Kujou said, "Thank you, Izumi Higa-san! You are most generous! These brutes were so mean to me~!"

"I'm terribly sorry about that," he said simply, smiling. "But I just had to see you."

"So you've heard of me, then?" she asked proudly, puffing up her chest and raising a hand to her heart. "Well, look no further! It is me, the famed Ribbon Sekirei, Kujou~!"

"Yes, you are rather famous," he agreed, causing her to nod happily. He was smart, too! "In fact, according to the records we managed to obtain from MBI, you seem to have a rather unique ability."

"I do! I, Kujou, can control ribbons!" she proclaimed, striking a pose and waiting for the applause to follow. When none did she looked around in confusion; her trusty ribbons were supposed to be dancing! What had happened to— _Oh_ , right, the brutes had broken them. Non-plussed by the realization, she continued, "In fact, since I control all kinds of ribbons, I bet I could even find your fated one! That's why you wanted to meet me, right? To find your red string of fate?"

Nodding, satisfied with her astute reasoning, Kujou said, "Not to worry, I can certainly do that for you! For I am—"

"Actually, I'm not interested in anything like that," denied Izumi Higa blatantly. "I'm more interested in you, Kujou-san."

"Hoh- _hoh_!" laughed Kujou, smiling happily; honestly, she was flattered. "Oh, I see, Izumi-san! You're in love with me, aren't you~?" Giving him no time to reply, and ignoring the infuriated Sai in the corner, she continued, "But I, Kujou, am already taken! Or, at least, I will be once I find my Ashikabi!" She could see it now! Love and adventure! Love and romance! Love and se—

"That's what I mean, Kujou-san," Izumi Higa said. Smiling easily, he added, "I want you to work for me. I intend to win this farce of a game and I want you on my team."

"But, as a Sekirei, I can only fight for my Ashikabi," reminded Kujou gently, afraid of hurting the poor guy's feelings. Attempting to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, she tried, "I'm afraid I can't—" She was violently stopped when Toyotama, coming up from behind her, forcefully took hold of her extended wrist.

"Ow!" cried Kujou. "That hurt! Izumi-san, can you—"

"I don't think you understand me, Kujou-san," Izumi Higa said, ignoring both her pain and pleas. "I want you to fight for me, to work for me. I don't care if you love me. In fact, I'd prefer if you didn't."

"But, Izumi-san, I…" Kujou was crying now; her eyes misting over one second, only for tears to fall in the next.

"Don't misunderstand my offer," he continued, ignoring her tears. "I don't intend to force you to co-operate. That's not how I do business."

"Thank you, Izumi-san…" she sighed, relief flooding her. "Can I go, then?"

"Certainly," he agreed stiffly. "But if you don't intend to join me, I'm afraid I cannot just let you leave." Kujou's worry returned in full force, as did her tears. Izumi Higa made no mention of it; his expression as empty and void of remorse as it was compassion. "If you had already found your 'Ashikabi',"—he said the word with derision—"I would have merely extended the offer to him, but in matters of sensitive business like this, it is always better to maintain closer ties to the talent than their agent."

"So you want me for yourself, is that it?" Kujou asked pitifully, already knowing what his answer would be. "As your Sekirei?"

"I want you as my _employee_ ," he emphasized that word, his eyes narrowing slightly at her. "Here is my contract: work for me and you will be cared for. I will house you, feed you, clothe you, even have your ribbons repaired," he gestured towards the floor; to the broken and tattered strings around her that had once been ribbons of hope and strength. "And in return you can fight for me. After I win this ridiculous game of MBI's, you are free to leave. I'll even offer a generous severance package with enough money to allow you to live comfortably for the rest of your life."

"And… and if I refuse?" Kujou asked, tears and fear consuming her.

From her place in the corner, Sai laughed harshly; one of her bladed strings held loosely in her hand. "Then you die," she said shortly, cruelly adding, "I'll even do it myself. Happily, even."

Die and forever lose her chance to be with her Ashikabi, or accept and forever lose her chance of finding love… Kujou thought it would have been kinder to have simply killed her rather than making her choose. In the end, she could not speak the words; she could not choose one or the other. So, instead, she simply nodded her head and let him interpret that anyway he wanted.

Seeing her gesture, Izumi Higa asked, "So you accept my offer?" When Kujou, the Ribbon Sekirei, nodded again he did not look pleased or angry. Without saying another word, without offering either encouragement or comfort, Izumi Higa stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He took her chin in his hand, the Sekirei flinching slightly as the cold digits pulled her in. When his lips met hers, there was no passion or feeling; Izumi Higa kissed her like one might a toad: short and without emotion.

Kujou cried openly, even as her wings appeared; her heart beat in open anguish, even as she felt herself being forever bound to Izumi Higa, her Ashikabi. She did not hate him; at this point, she was not even sure if she was capable of ever hating, or loving, anything. When the wings faded away, Toyotama released her arm before stepping back to stand guard by the door. Kujou turned towards that door, knowing she could never truly escape but still desperate to be anywhere else, and was stopped by these words:

"Allow me to say one last thing," Izumi Higa began, his back already to them and his attention firmly on the city outside. "I don't need weak Sekirei. I'd like you to think of our 'contract' as nothing more than business." He did not wait for a reply, did not turn to see their expressions; instead, he merely sat down in his chair once more, out of sight and reach.

Sekirei _No. 16_ , Toyotama, renewed her vow to be stronger so that one day she might move beyond that contract. Sekirei _No. 31_ , Sai, promised herself she would never be weak again; that she would prove herself worthy of even just that contract. They had both reacted to Izumi Higa as their Ashikabi.

Kujou… simply cried.

"Yes, Higa-sama…"

* * *

**Ascension Throne Britannia (a.t.b.) 2033**

**Room #010, 25** **th** **Floor, Tokyo Executive Suites, Shinto Teito:**

' _This was… surprising information_ ,' concluded LL internally. Jeremiah Gottwald, ever the loyal and observant knight, had related the day's events with the sort of exacting detail and precision to be expected of the one-time assassin; from his arrival in Japan to the eventual emergence of Yashima. Most of the details were either trivial or things LL had already been able to deduce even with his currently limited information. Most of the details, anyway…

"You said your Geass Canceller negated the twin's abilities?" asked LL, seeking clarification. If such a thing were true, then—

"Not quite, Your Majesty," replied Jeremiah stiffly; he had finally been convinced to stand, but his posture was rigid and attentive. "From what I could observe, their lighting did not dissipate, merely diffused; as though their control over it was hindered in some way."

This was astounding information. Even all those years ago, back in that Kyoto throne room, LL had suspected there was some kind of link between Sekirei and the phenomenon known as Geass. How could there not be? Two distinctly inhuman and supernatural existences on the same world, at the same time? It was too much of a coincidence to merely ignore, but until now… There had simply been no way to prove the connection. Hiroto Minaka knew about Codes, albeit only the bare minimum LL had needed to explain his immortality, but he had never learned of Geass. As such, without potentially exposing that power to MBI, LL had been forced to conduct his research in secret; that was one of the reasons he had agreed to become an adjuster of Sekirei.

Yet, in all his years of research, he had never been able to prove the connection; he had theories, of course, but no proof. Now… If Jeremiah's Geass Canceller worked on a Sekirei's abilities, that proved there was some link between the two. "How much do you know about your Geass Canceller?" he asked of the knight, considering.

"Very little, I'm afraid, Your Majesty," Jeremiah said, head bowed in apology. "It was a project of the Geass Order, I know. The result of VV's personal research into the nature of Geass and that it was intended as a counter-measure against potentially dangerous enemy Geass powers. I was the first and only test subject, but the system was faulty; it had only been completed a short time before I was sent to Japan." _To kill you_ , was left unsaid.

LL's frown deepened considerably. VV again; even in death, his much detested uncle still continued to haunt him. The Geass Order was the only institution, at least that LL was aware of, that had ever performed complex research into the nature of Codes and the power of Geass. Since CC had lacked any real power or influence while acting as part of it, that means VV was likely the foremost expert on the subject in the world. But he was dead now… along with every other member of the Geass Order, excluding CC and Jeremiah Gottwald.

Regardless, that there was a connection between Sekirei and Geass proved one of LL's theories, but it left him with many of the same questions as before. Leaning back in his chair, LL absently reached for his cup of tea only to frown. It had gone cold. Sighing mildly, he pushed it aside and said, "For the time being, we will have to focus on the Sekirei Plan. If your Geass Canceller truly can disrupt the powers of the other Sekirei, it gives us a trump card to play against the other Ashikabi." In particular, it offered a counter-measure against any Sekirei using truly unique abilities, of which LL had none previously.

A thought came to him. LL's eyes drifted from Jeremiah to the young Sekirei girl standing quietly at his side. Yashima had not spoken once during their exchange, yet had remained at her Ashikabi's side, stoically observing them and their interactions. "Jeremiah," he said suddenly, tone considering as he watched the Sekirei carefully. "Active your Geass Canceller."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the knight responded, unquestioning of his liege's motives. The white cover that shielded his mechanical eye slide open, the reverse emblem of Geass shining blue in his eyes briefly before expanding around him in all directions. LL, as an immortal with a Code, was completely unaffected by any form of Geass and made no sign of reacting. "It is done, My Lord."

"Yashima-san," the former emperor began. "Do you feel any different?"

"I do not, LL-sama," she answered immediately, tone and expression unchanged. LL had watched her carefully for any change in expression or sign of discomfort from the moment he gave the order to now. Yashima showed no signs of responding to the effects of the Geass Canceller. If there was a link between Sekirei and Geass, it must be more subtle or nuanced. Theoretically, a Geass Canceller might have had the ability to dispel the connection between an Ashikabi and their Sekirei; a powerful tool not only for the game, but for LL's current personal problems. Alas, that does not seem to be the case.

"Or the Geass Canceller is simply a defective model," he muttered distractedly, shaking his head in thought. There were too many variables at this point, too many questions. Maybe if—

LL was saved from his all-consuming thoughts and considerations by the sound of a door opening further down the hall. Mentally, LL did a quick count in his mind of where everyone was; since Karasuba was at Teito Tower, that must mean…

"Akitsu-chan," LL greeted the Scrapped Number as she emerged from the hall, having entered the apartment through the balcony door previously.

Akitsu entered the room in short, yet graceful steps; her attention was immediately caught by the two newest additions, who watched her curiously, but when her Ashikabi did not seem concerned she ignored them. Focusing all her attention on the seated man, she bowed deeply. "Ah… master, I've returned…" she said blandly and without expression. LL lacked any decisive or reliable information network; even with Karasuba's position within the Disciplinary Squad, there was only so much they could reasonably obtain without arousing MBI's open displeasure.

Since Karasuba was too busy with MBI, and would prove unsuitable to the task regardless, LL had assigned Akitsu the job of observing their targets. While not really suited for espionage or clandestine work, the former No. 07 was capable enough to fight on her own and smart enough to flee if necessary. That would have to do for now, but maybe with Jeremiah here…

"Good," nodded LL, turning to focus on her fully. "What have you found?"

"Ah… master," she began evenly. "MBI released another group of Sekirei early this morning. As ordered, I was observing the eastern section the city, keeping an eye open for any unusual activity, when I noticed four Sekirei moving together in a group."

"Four Sekirei?" LL blinked, his mind already working.

"Yes, master," she confirmed, continuing, "I followed them at a distance and watched as they confronted a fifth Sekirei. Using their numbers, they over-powered her easily, but rather than terminate her they decided to carry her away with them."

An abduction, then, and with numbers like that it could only really be Izumi Higa. "Did you see where they brought her?" LL asked, hoping for a yes. If they knew where Higa was based from, then he could—

"Yes, master… I followed them to a hospital on the east side of the city. As you suspected, the signs outside confirmed it was Hiyamakai Hospital."

' _This is it,_ ' LL smiled widely, his plans almost perfectly in place. "Were you noticed?" he asked, although it did not really matter.

"I do not believe I was, master," she said easily. "The group made no notice of my presence and I refrained from approaching the hospital too closely."

"Well done, Akitsu-chan… Very well done!" he praised earnestly, earning a brilliant blush from the Scrapped Number, who bowed deeply. With this single act, Akitsu had almost answered every question he still had about Izumi Higa. "Jeremiah Gottwald, Yashima, listen closely… Akitsu-chan has just given us the tools for our victory."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" and "Yes, LL-sama…" greeted him in reply.

"Until this point, I have been operating under the assumption that both Izumi Higa and Hayato Mikogami, the Ashikabi with the most number of Sekirei, had in their position at least one Single Number. However, with this information… We can conclude Higa does not," announced LL simply. In the Sekirei Plan, the amount of Single Numbers an Ashikabi possess drastically improves their chances of victory, and while a group of higher numbers could theoretically defeat a Single Number, the only reliable way to defeat, or at least check, a Single Number was with another Single Number.

For Higa and Mikogami to have acquired so many Sekirei so quickly and this early in the game, they would need some sort of advantage over the other players. The only question remained: what was that advantage? LL had concluded possession of Single Number was the most likely answer, but with Akitsu's newest information… "We have been probing Higa's defenses when possible; attacking his teams of two, allowing ourselves to be seen within his territory, and making a general nuisance of ourselves. And then…" LL smiled, bemused more than anything by the next fact, adding, "We have left sufficient clues that would point to me allying myself with Hayato Mikogami."

"Genius, Your Majesty!" praised the Knight of Orange genuinely. "To pit the two most dangerous Ashikabi against one-another, and so masterfully! If they were to face off against the other, it would deplete their forces."

"Yes, it would," shrugged LL without concern. "But that wasn't my intention."

"It wasn't?" Yashima asked, surprised. Then, quickly adding, "My apologies, LL-sama…"

LL waved away her words, deciding to explain for her sake and the confused expression on Jeremiah's face. "It would be reckless of Higa to engage in full-scale conflict with another Ashikabi, especially this early into the game," he explained simply. "Instead, my intention was to apply pressure. Using only Akitsu-chan, I lack enough power to appropriately antagonize Higa and his forces. However, leveraging Mikogami's power with my own…"

"You can force them to show their hand," Jeremiah realized it first, saying, "If they were afraid of an Ashikabi with comparable strength engaging them, they could not risk holding back their forces. They would have to deploy their—"

"Single Number," finished LL, nodding easily. "Rather than expose the strength and weaknesses of four of their Sekirei, they could have simply sent one Single Number. That would have been enough to sufficiently check Akitsu-chan's power and been enough to dissuade me from attacking. Since they didn't, since they chose to send out a team of four Sekirei instead…"

"They don't have any Single Numbers," muttered Jeremiah, considering his liege's reasoning. "Astounding, Your Majesty… To imply an alliance only to leverage that _implied_ alliance for information is…"

LL leaned back against his chair, frowning deeply. He ignored his knight's praise, instead thinking aloud, "Yes, while this confirms Izumi Higa lacks any Single Numbers, that still leaves us with the question of his advantage." Eyes widening slightly, he looked towards the Scrapped Number: "Akitsu-chan… You said the team of Sekirei went directly for their target? No deviations? They were not simple on patrol?"

Akitsu, who had remained silent while her master was in thought, nodded in answer. "Yes, master… They left immediately for their target, abducted a Sekirei, and returned to the hospital."

Sighing loudly, LL nodded. "That can only mean one thing…" he began darkly. "They have an inside source within MBI."

"MBI, My Lord?" asked Jeremiah, surprised. "They are the ones organizing this game, are they not? Would they allow a spy within their company to assist an Ashikabi?"

"Not a normal human, no. Minaka would never allow it," confirmed LL, frowning. But Karasuba had been permitted to smuggle out information for him, so that must mean… "Which means Izumi Higa must have a Sekirei capable of accessing MBI's servers, otherwise they would have no way of knowing when the Sekirei were being released or which of them were worth abducting. From Akitsu-chan's report, they not only knew when the Sekirei were being released, but had already chosen a target to abduct."

"Is there such a Sekirei, Your Majesty?"

"I only know of two," answered LL flatly, thinking back on his time with MBI. "Sekirei _No. 02_ , Matsu… and Sekirei _No. 22_ , Kocho… Both are what is known as a Brain-type Sekirei capable of accessing any form of technology at extreme distances and with absurd ease." If they had been around during the war with Schneizel, either of them could have remotely activated Democles and put an end not only to that battle and the Zero Requiem, but the world.

Jeremiah, it seemed, was thinking of the same thing. His face unusually pale, he asked, "What are we to do, Your Majesty?"

His brow knitting in thought, his fingers unconsciously stapling themselves on the table in-front of him for support, LL considered. "I find it unlikely that we are dealing with No. 02," he decided at length. Matsu, as a member of First Generation Disciplinary Squad, had known LL and, using her abilities, had been among the first of the Sekirei to learn his true identity as Lelouch vi Britannia. She was also intelligent enough to have likely deduced he was once Zero as well, and from there the Zero Requiem was not much further. "If we were dealing with No. 02, my plan would not have worked,"—' _At least not this well,_ ' he mentally added to assuage his bruised pride.

"Which means our current target and greatest threat is Sekirei _No. 22_ , Kocho…" he announced solemnly, his mind busy with making adjustments and revisions to his plan to account for an enemy capable of accessing any electronic, any device, and even MBI's own servers and records. With No. 22, Higa's information network far surpassed his own. If LL had been a traditional name, or if Akitsu have been properly emerged and linked with him on MBI's servers, Izumi Higa would have likely already attacked him. If they were too careless, or if they slipped any important information, No. 22 would find it, parse the data in seconds, and then…

LL had a plan, yes, but it lacked a certain piece of information. If they could just learn when the next Sekirei were going to be released, he could—

Then, almost as if conjured by his thoughts, the wide-screen television on the far side of the room, resting easily over the fire-place, untouched since LL had first arrived here, flickered on in a buzzing whirl of activity. Neither he, Jeremiah, Akitsu, or Yashima had turned it on. For a brief moment, LL considered that it might have been No. 22; maybe Higa had already infiltrated his apartment and… But no, instead he got his answer when the screen steadied to reveal a middle-aged man dressed in all white: his suit, tie, cloak, and hair all seemingly bleached bright white and shrouded by an eerie red glow around him.

LL recognized the figure at once. LL knew him to be—"Hiroto Minaka," he greeted shortly, eyes narrowing at the screen. "To what do I owe the visit, oh! illustrious President of Mid Bio Informatics?"

Hiroto Minaka leaned backwards casually, a wide smirk crossed his face even as his eyes were obscured behind the tint of red across his glasses. "You hurt my feelings, Lulu-sama," he lied blatantly, feigning tears and wiping them away with his gloved hand. "We used to be friends, didn't we? First, you don't contact me for five years and now you are acting so distant and formal? I'm genuinely hurt."

Ignoring his taunts, LL instead asked, "Why have you called, Minaka? Can I assume MBI has my entire apartment bugged?"

"You were always so suspicious!" he laughed happily, explaining, "No, no! Nothing like that, I assure you, but in preparation for the Sekirei Plan I had a little something installed in all the TVs of Shinto Teito! A little back-door access trick, allowing me to welcome any of the destined Ashikabi to the game personally!" The smaller figure of Minaka, trapped inside the screen, threw his head back in uproarious laughter.

LL scowled. "If you've no business with me, I'll gladly ask you to—"

"So temperamental, but fine," he conceded, waving a condescending hand towards the one-time ruler of the world. "I actually called for a couple of reasons, but first…" For the first time, the bespectacled CEO of MBI cast his gaze about the room; his eyes glanced over Akitsu without notice, but landed on Jeremiah and Yashima with glee. "Ah! There you are, Orange-kun! And Yashima-chan! Been awhile, both of you!"

Yashima bowed deeply, smiling as she said, "It has, professor."

Jeremiah, however—"Still a babbling lunatic, I see. You certainly haven't changed one bit, Hiroto Minaka."

"So cruel, Orange-kun," he replied, laughing. "But I just wanted to welcome you to the Sekirei Plan! Of course, since you already knew about them before-hand, and I'm sure a certain somebody already spoiled all my fun, I'll just leave it at that for n—"

"Minaka," interrupted LL sharply. "You said there was a point to this…"

"My, you really haven't changed…" His eyes traced over the former emperor's face, his hands, and pointedly eyed his chest. "You really must tell me your secret…"

"If there is no point, I can—"

"Not necessary, darling Lulu-sama! I really did have something important to talk about."

"Then get on with it…"

Minaka smiled lightly, saying, "You've really been a busy little bee, haven't you? With just our treasured Karasuba and MBI's discarded equipment, you've already established yourself as a major player… At least in my books, but I'm sure the other Ashikabi will catch on quickly. As the Game Master, I must congratulate you: well done!" Minaka laughed, LL frowned; the former continued, "But you've been abusing your power a little, I think. Eh? Using Karasuba-chan to snoop around my tower, taking my information, and not even leaving a few bills on the night-stand when you're done… Makes me feel used."

"Karasuba is a resource, as is her position within the Disciplinary Squad…" answered LL easily, shrugging slightly. "In exchange for her continued membership, I think a few pieces of static data are well worth the price."

"Oh, no doubt…" agreed Minaka. "Karasuba-chan is a beast and definite favorite for victory in this game. I'm happy to make use of her for the sake of the Sekirei Plan, and offer such simple scraps of information with ease as a token of my gratitude! Thank you, Lulu-sama!"

"If you continue to mock His Majesty, I'll—" the knight began angrily.

"That's enough, Jeremiah…" halted LL, eyes not leaving Minaka's once. To the Game Master, he asked, "What is it you want, Minaka?"

"Down to business, then…" Minaka began, his tone serious by contrast despite the belied humor behind his voice. "You've been having your fun with a certain other Ashikabi and are dangerously close to uncovering his secret. Of course, as the Game Master, I could never expose it, but…"

"Izumi Higa has Sekirei No. 22 in his possession," interrupted LL. "Is that what you mean?"

Minaka smiled thinly, clearly amused. "It could be," he conceded. "But it could be not, too. Either way, that certain other Ashikabi considers himself something of a rival to me…" The Higa Corporation was MBI's premier rival in Japan, he meant. "And he's been testing certain defenses, you see… Within my company. Defenses I'd much rather were left alone, you understand."

LL nodded, easily able to follow the other man's implications. Izumi Higa must be trying to use No. 22 so he can hack into MBI's mainframe and steal their corporate secrets, likely not exclusively information regarding the Sekirei Plan. Which meant, for Izumi Higa, this was all just a very dramatic case of corporate espionage. How terribly boring… but still a problem. LL did not want information about Sekirei getting out to the broader public any more than MBI or Minaka did. "He'll have to be dealt with," concluded LL shortly.

"Of course, as the Game Master…" started Minaka graciously. "I cannot bend the rules to help one side over the other. That wouldn't be fair."

LL, seeing where this whole thing was leading, decided to skip to the end. "I need the next release date for Sekirei… Tell me that and I can deal with No. 22," LL promised.

Minaka smiled happily. "Information like that… Potentially giving you the chance to build up your numbers… that goes beyond the scraps of information Karasuba's help is worth," he was muttering now, but clearly loud enough for LL to hear. Suddenly snapping his fingers in feigned realization, the president of MBI said, "Maybe a trade! This piece of information for a favor!"

Immediately on guard, LL asked, "What favor?"

"Nothing too drastic, I assure you…" he promised, his grin wide and suspicious. "I've just decided things have been a bit too quiet in the game lately. Ashikabi are gathering Sekirei, but there have been so few fights. Most Ashikabi are too complacent. Of course, you're the exception to that… Well, you and a couple others." He wiggled his eye-brows suggestively before continuing, "To liven things up, I intend to trigger a special event! It will have song, and dance, and music! Fun for all ages! Just agree to participate and I'll give you the information you need."

LL's eyes bored into the mirthfully smirking gaze of Hiroto Minaka for a long moment… Then, he said, "I accept."

"Wonderful! The very moment the next batch of Sekirei is available, I'll send you the notice and time! Keep your phone on hand, Lulu-sama~! You don't want to miss any important—"

The screen blinked out of existence, Minaka's face morphing into a distorted blur of color before disappearing completely. LL held the controller to the television, face pensive and annoyed.

"Was that wise, Your Majesty?" asked Jeremiah, hesitant to question his liege but still feeling the need to ask. Times like these, he missed Lady CC. "Accepting that madman's deal?"

"No, it wasn't," answered LL in monotone, reminding the knight of his business partner. "But we can deal with Minaka and whatever he's planning another time. For now, we prepare for the next operation." Sekirei No. 22 was a dangerous obstacle; not only for the Sekirei Plan, but for the stability of world peace. It was not an easy task, accounting for such a formidable opponent, but with MBI's information…

LL smirked, saying, "All conditions for the first stage of my plan are complete."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It cannot be over-stated how dangerous a Sekirei with abilities like No. 02, Matsu and No. 22, Kocho can be. The things they show them doing... Urgh. It makes Karasuba killing hundreds of people, or Miya slicing a battleship in half, seem like nothing when you think about it. LL realizes this and knows he needs to do something... But can he trust Minaka? Probably not.


End file.
